Key points
If brakes fail, pump the brake pedal several times to build pressure.
Source: Handbook p. 77
“Pump the brake pedal several times. This will often build up enough brake pressure to allow you to stop.”
Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 77In a blowout, hold the wheel tightly, keep straight and slow gradually.
Source: Handbook p. 77
“Hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle going straight. • Slow gradually.”
Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 77If the accelerator sticks, shift to neutral, pull off and turn off the engine.
Source: Handbook p. 77
“Quickly shift to neutral. • Pull off the road when safe to do so. • Turn off the engine.”
Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 77To avoid a collision you have 3 options: stop, turn or speed up.
Source: Handbook p. 78
“In avoiding a collision, drivers have three options: (1) Stop, (2) Turn, and (3) Speed Up.”
Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 78In a skid, stay off the brake; your brakes will not work until the vehicle slows.
Source: Handbook p. 79
“Stay off the Brake Your brakes will not work until the vehicle slows down.”
Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 79If you are in a crash you must stop, and move the vehicle so it does not block traffic.
Source: Handbook p. 80
“If you are involved in a crash, you must stop. Arkansas Law requires that if you are involved in a traffic crash you should, move the vehicle from the roadway”
Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 80Notify police immediately when anyone is hurt or killed or damage exceeds $1000.
Source: Handbook p. 80
“Any person injured, killed, or has property damage exceeding $1000; a driver must notify the police immediately.”
Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 80Report to Driver Services within 30 days if there is injury, death or over $3000 in damage to one person's property.
Source: Handbook p. 81
“property damage of more than $3000 to one person’s property. Accident forms are available at Office of Driver Services offices or from most insurance agents. You must file the report within thirty (30) days of the accident.”
Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 81
Numbers to know
| Number | What it means | Manual |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | options to avoid a collision | Handbook p. 78 |
| $1000 | damage that requires notifying police immediately (exceeding) | Handbook p. 80 |
| $3000 / 30 days | damage and deadline for the Driver Services report | Handbook p. 81 |
3 questions from the Arkansas practice test
1. If your brakes stop working, what should you try first?
- Continue driving until the brakes repair themselves
- Pull the parking brake sharply and immediately
- Pump the brake pedal several times
- Turn the steering wheel into oncoming traffic
Show answer
Pump the brake pedal several times. The first response to brake failure is to pump the brake pedal several times, because this can rebuild enough pressure to stop. A sharp parking-brake pull may lock the rear wheels and cause a skid, so the manual calls for using that brake slowly only if pumping does not work. If necessary, shift to lower gears and find a safe place off the roadway. Keep control, warn others, and do not continue normal driving after the braking system has failed. The cue is gradual control, not a sudden steering or braking maneuver.
2. What is the best initial response to a sudden tire blowout?
- Hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle going straight
- Slam on the brakes and turn sharply toward the shoulder
- Release the steering wheel so the vehicle can settle itself
- Accelerate hard to reach the next intersection
Show answer
Hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle going straight. After a sudden tire blowout, hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle traveling straight. Then take your foot off the gas, slow gradually, use the brakes lightly, and pull off the road in a safe place if possible. Slamming the brakes or turning sharply can make the vehicle harder to control, especially when one tire has lost pressure. The practical sequence is control first, gradual slowing second, and a safe roadside position third. Do not stop in a travel lane if a safer location is available.
3. After an Arkansas crash, when must a driver notify the police immediately?
- Only when someone is killed
- Only when the other driver asks
- When anyone is injured or killed, or property damage exceeds $1,000
- Only on interstates
Show answer
When anyone is injured or killed, or property damage exceeds $1,000. If any person is injured or killed, or there is property damage exceeding $1,000, the driver must notify the police immediately, and a driver cannot leave the scene of an injury or death crash until police have collected the information they need. If you hit a parked vehicle, you must try to locate the owner. A separate written report also goes to the Office of Driver Services within 30 days after a crash with injury, death, or significant property damage. Waiting for the other driver to ask, or reporting only deaths or interstate crashes, misses the rule.
Practice this topic
Lock it in with emergencies questions from the free Arkansas practice test. Every answer comes with a plain English explanation.
Source: the Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Chapter 9: Emergencies. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.