Driver's License Test Prep
Pennsylvania Practice Adverse Conditions

You are on the interstate and suddenly drive into a snow squall. What does the manual tell you to do?

  1. A.
    Speed up briefly to get through the squall faster.
  2. B.
    Move onto the shoulder and turn off your headlights.
  3. C.
    Slam on the brakes to stop as quickly as possible.
  4. D.
    Gradually slow down and turn on your hazard lights. Correct
The Why

The answer is "Gradually slow down and turn on your hazard lights."

The manual says to gradually slow down and turn on your hazard lights so other drivers can see you. Drivers who pick moving onto the shoulder are half-remembering the separate AVOID tip about exiting the roadway before a squall arrives, which does not apply once you are already inside one.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Speed up briefly to get through the squall faster.

Higher speed on a suddenly slick roadway is what causes the multi-vehicle squall pile-ups the manual warns about. This answer mirrors the reflex to accelerate through a short rain burst on dry pavement, which does not translate to a snow burst that has already reduced visibility to near zero.

B. Move onto the shoulder and turn off your headlights.

Turning your headlights off hides you from following vehicles, the opposite of the increased visibility the manual asks for. This answer half-remembers the separate AVOID tip about exiting the roadway before a squall arrives, and swaps hazard lights on for headlights off.

C. Slam on the brakes to stop as quickly as possible.

The manual explicitly says 'Do not slam on your brakes' when you encounter a snow squall. This answer falls back on the panic braking reflex a driver reaches for when clear pavement turns to near-zero visibility in seconds.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Adverse Conditions in Pennsylvania. Source: Pennsylvania Driver Manual, "Snow Squalls," p.43..

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