If a tire suddenly blows out while you are driving, you should:
- Grip the steering wheel firmly, slow down, and exit the traffic lane. ✓
- Pump the brakes rapidly.
- Brake hard and steer toward the right edge of the roadway.
Answer: A. Grip the steering wheel firmly, slow down, and exit the traffic lane.
Grip the steering wheel firmly, slow down, and exit the traffic lane when it is safe.
Why this is the answer
The handbook's tire-blowout steps say to hold the steering wheel with both hands, gradually release the accelerator, and correct the steering to regain control. It warns that suddenly braking or abruptly lifting off the accelerator can cause you to lose control. After the vehicle stabilizes, you should keep slowing down and pull off the road where and when safe. Gripping the wheel firmly, slowing down, and leaving the traffic lane when safe follows that sequence.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. Pump the brakes rapidly. — Pumping the brakes rapidly is not part of the handbook's blowout steps, and sudden braking can make you lose control.
- C. Brake hard and steer toward the right edge of the roadway. — Braking hard is exactly the sudden braking the handbook warns against; it says to stabilize the vehicle first and pull off only when safe.
Remember it
Hold the wheel with both hands, ease off the accelerator, and pull off only after the car is stable.
Official handbook: California Driver Handbook (DL 600), Section 8: Safe Driving, p. 68