To reduce the impact of a crash, you should
- slow down and steer toward something soft, like bushes or a snow bank ✓
- try to hit the other car head on, rather than at an angle
- maintain your speed and steer for the ditch
- brake hard and steer for the ditch
Answer: A. slow down and steer toward something soft, like bushes or a snow bank
Slow down as much as you can and steer toward something that will cushion the car, such as bushes or a high snow bank.
Why this is the answer
The handbook's collision-avoidance advice says to slow down as much as possible, try to avoid locking the brakes, and aim for something that cushions your car, like bushes or a high snow bank. It also says to stay away from hard objects such as parked cars or trees. Slowing down first and picking a soft target both work toward the same goal the passage describes: cutting the force of the impact when a crash can't be avoided.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. try to hit the other car head on, rather than at an angle — The passage says to avoid a head-on collision at all costs by steering to the side, so aiming for a head-on hit is the opposite of what it advises.
- C. maintain your speed and steer for the ditch — The handbook says to slow down as much as possible, so holding your speed and heading for the ditch skips the slowing-down step and picks a spot the passage never recommends.
- D. brake hard and steer for the ditch — The passage warns against locking the brakes, which hard braking can cause, and it tells you to steer for something soft rather than the ditch.
Remember it
Two moves, in order: get slower first, then aim at something soft rather than solid.