A head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle cannot be avoided. What does the manual tell you to do?
-
A.
Brake firmly and steadily Correct
-
B.
Steer left into the oncoming lane
-
C.
Release the steering wheel to protect your arms from injury
-
D.
Accelerate briefly to help absorb the impact
The answer is "Brake firmly and steadily"
When impact is unavoidable, the manual tells you to brake firmly and steadily, because every mile per hour you can shed before impact reduces the force of the collision. The pull of D comes from inverting the physics behind the rule, since less speed at impact is what reduces damage, not more.
The traps in the wrong answers
B. Steer left into the oncoming lane
Steering left is exactly the move the manual warns against, since the other driver is likely to correct back into the same lane you just entered. This answer trusts a last-second swap of lanes, missing that the other driver is very likely to snap back the same direction at the same instant.
C. Release the steering wheel to protect your arms from injury
The manual expects you to keep both hands on the wheel and keep steering; letting go removes your last chance to influence where you hit. This answer misapplies the air-bag warning about arm injuries into a rule that tells you to give up control entirely.
D. Accelerate briefly to help absorb the impact
Speeding up before impact makes the crash forces worse, not better, since every mile per hour on the speedometer adds to the collision energy. This answer inverts the actual physics behind the rule, since less speed at impact is what reduces damage, not more.
This question tests your knowledge of Crash Procedures in Pennsylvania. Source: Pennsylvania Driver Manual, "IF ANOTHER VEHICLE IS APPROACHING HEAD-ON IN YOUR LANE," p.64..
Related Pennsylvania questions
- You drive past a crash on the highway. You are not involved, and emergency responders have already arrived on the scene. What does the manual tell you to do? →
- You are involved in a crash on a two-lane road. According to the manual, what is the first thing you should do? →
- You are in a minor crash. No one is hurt, but the other vehicle is too damaged to drive and will need to be towed. What does the manual tell you to do? →
- According to the manual, which of the following must you get from the other driver at a crash scene? →
- You back into a parked vehicle in a lot. You look for the owner but cannot find them. According to the manual, what should you do? →
You just took one Pennsylvania question apart. The book does it for the whole test.
The Pennsylvania book unlocks a free companion: an adaptive study plan, progress synced across your devices, a denser laminate cheat sheet, and a test-day walkthrough. Verify your copy once, usually in seconds; there's nothing extra to buy.
$18.99 paperback, free companion included.