If you are driving and a tire suddenly goes flat, you should:
- Rapidly pump the brake pedal several times.
- Slow down gradually and not brake. ✓
- Press down on the brake pedal as hard as you can.
Answer: B. Slow down gradually and not brake.
If a tire suddenly goes flat, ease off the gas and slow down gradually without hitting the brakes.
Why this is the answer
The handbook's emergency section covers a tire blowout: don't panic, keep both hands on the wheel, hold your speed if it's safe, and let the accelerator up gradually while you steady the steering. It warns that braking suddenly, or jerking your foot off the gas, can make you lose control of the car. Only after the vehicle feels stable should you keep slowing and pull off the road when it's safe. So a slow, gentle slowdown with no braking is the right response.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Rapidly pump the brake pedal several times. — Pumping the brake pedal quickly is still sudden braking, which the handbook says can cost you control of the car during a blowout.
- C. Press down on the brake pedal as hard as you can. — Slamming the brake pedal down is exactly the hard braking the handbook warns against, since it can throw the vehicle out of control.
Remember it
A blowout is a steering problem first and a braking problem later: hold the wheel, ease off the gas, and leave the brake alone until the car settles.