Driver's License Test Prep
Texas Practice Emergencies

Your brakes fail while driving. Which two tools does the manual tell you to use to stop the car?

  1. A.
    The horn and the hazard lights
  2. B.
    The steering wheel and the ignition switch
  3. C.
    The clutch and the emergency flashers
  4. D.
    The parking brake and a lower gear Correct
The Why

The answer is "The parking brake and a lower gear"

The manual pairs the parking brake with downshifting as the two tools you fall back on when the service brakes fail. Option C is the trap: a driver who thinks 'emergency' reaches for the emergency flashers, but flashers only warn other drivers and do nothing to slow the car.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. The horn and the hazard lights

Neither the horn nor the hazard lights reduce the car's speed. This answer confuses 'signal other drivers' with 'stop the car' when the two actions have very different jobs.

B. The steering wheel and the ignition switch

Turning the ignition switch off cuts power steering and can lock the wheel. This answer treats the ignition as a stop switch, an emergency habit borrowed from mechanical failures the manual does not address.

C. The clutch and the emergency flashers

The clutch alone does not slow the car, and emergency flashers only warn other drivers. This answer reaches for 'emergency flashers' on the sound-alike link to 'emergency brake.'

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Emergencies in Texas. Source: Texas Driver Manual, "Brake Failure," p.49..

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