Performing an emergency stop is one of the essential driving lessons for beginner drivers. It’s one of the key test areas during your driving test. Even more, besides passing your test, executing an emergency stop is critical in real-life situations. So, every beginner needs to learn this maneuver. Note that, however, you need to perform it properly for you to pass your test. Also, you have to maintain total control over your car when executing an emergency stop.
Given its importance, we’ve put together all you need to know to execute a proper emergency stop:
What’s an emergency stop?
An emergency stop is braking maneuver drivers perform depending on the situations they encounter on the road. They do so by stopping suddenly to avoid dangerous situations. Here are situations when you might stop suddenly:
- If the car in front of you stops
- If someone or something crosses in front of you
- If you notice an environmental hazard on the road or objects that may damage your car.
Often, examiners will take you to the roadside and tell you to execute an emergency stop. As you drive on, the examiner will signal you by raising their hands. You will be required to execute an emergency stop while having full control of your vehicle. Keep in mind that you will be performing it as though you’ve encountered the above hazards on the road.
Executing an emergency stop
Here are suggestions to help you perform a controlled emergency stop:
- Bring your vehicle to a standstill without checking your vehicle’s mirrors: Doing so increases your stopping time while slowing your reaction time.
- Execute strong braking without slamming your foot on the pedal.
- Both of your hands must be on the wheel all the time for superior control and preparedness for the next move. In real-life situations, a sudden stop may change the direction of your vehicle. So by keeping your hands on the wheel, you’ll be able to control the movement of your vehicle.
- Check all the mirrors and blind spots after you stop, then proceed safely.
Stopping Distances
Stopping distances is a critical aspect of an emergency stop. Your life and others depend on the correct observation of the correct stopping distances. To get the perfect stopping distance for your emergency stop, multiply the speed by intervals of 0.5, starting with 2. For example:
- 20mph x 2 = 40 feet
- 30mph x 2.5 = 75 feet
What you must do after an emergency stop
There are important things you must do after executing an emergency stop. You must check your mirrors and blind spots before proceeding safely. Since an emergency stop often disrupts traffic, it becomes imperative to check the position of other vehicles, people, cyclists, and more.
Conclusion
An emergency stop is an important driving lesson. Proper execution will help you save lives. That’s why you should strive to improve your ability to pass the test and avoid dangerous situations. The above information will help you know what to do to execute a correct emergency stop.
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