Blowouts, skids and crashes

Key points

1. After a blowout, grip the wheel firmly and take your foot off the accelerator.

   Source: Handbook p. 39

   “Grasp the steering wheel firmly and take your foot off the accelerator”
   Georgia Drivers Manual, Handbook p. 39

2. Do not move to the shoulder until the car has slowed greatly.

   Source: Handbook p. 39

   “Do not move to the shoulder of the road until the car has slowed greatly.”
   Georgia Drivers Manual, Handbook p. 39

3. Notify police at once if anyone is injured or killed or damage exceeds $500.00.

   Source: Handbook p. 50

   “law enforcement agency immediately if anyone is injured or killed, or if property damage exceeds $500.00;”
   Georgia Drivers Manual, Handbook p. 50

4. Do not move or lift an injured person unless it is absolutely necessary.

   Source: Handbook p. 50

   “Do not move or lift the victim unless it is absolutely necessary.”
   Georgia Drivers Manual, Handbook p. 50

5. Never swerve to avoid a deer.

   Source: Handbook p. 50

   “Never swerve to avoid a deer.”
   Georgia Drivers Manual, Handbook p. 50

6. If your car is stuck on the tracks, call for help and tell them a vehicle is on the tracks.

   Source: Handbook p. 21

   “Call for help! Tell them a vehicle is on the tracks.”
   Georgia Drivers Manual, Handbook p. 21

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Georgia practice test

1. 1. What should a driver do after a sudden tire blow-out?

   1. Turn sharply onto the shoulder immediately
   2. Grip the wheel, remove your foot from the accelerator, and let the vehicle slow
   3. Accelerate to reach a repair shop quickly
   4. Brake hard and steer across traffic
   Show answer

   Grip the wheel, remove your foot from the accelerator, and let the vehicle slow. A blow-out can make a moving vehicle swerve, so the manual emphasizes calm control. Grip the steering wheel firmly, take your foot off the accelerator, and let the vehicle roll to a stop. A sharp immediate move to the shoulder can worsen the swerve, and hard braking may cause loss of control. Accelerating adds load and speed to an already unstable vehicle. Apply brakes lightly only if necessary and safe, then move toward the shoulder after the car has slowed greatly. The cue is control first, roadside position second.

2. 2. If your vehicle begins to skid, what should you do first?

   1. Press the brake pedal as hard as possible
   2. Ease your foot off the accelerator
   3. Accelerate to force the tires to regain grip
   4. Turn the steering wheel sharply away from the skid
   Show answer

   Ease your foot off the accelerator. The first response to a skid is to ease off the accelerator, which removes power that can keep the tires from regaining grip. Hard braking, a sharp turn away from the skid, or acceleration can make the vehicle less stable. After reducing power, steer in the direction of the skid and wait until control returns before applying a light brake if needed. Keep movements measured, because abrupt corrections can turn a manageable slide into a larger loss of control.

3. 3. When must a driver stop at a railroad crossing?

   1. When the crossing signal is flashing or the gates are lowered
   2. Only when the driver can see a train on the nearest track
   3. Only when a flagman is standing in the travel lane
   4. When the driver is within five feet of the tracks
   Show answer

   When the crossing signal is flashing or the gates are lowered. Georgia requires a stop when a crossing signal flashes or the gates are lowered, among several other listed conditions. Waiting until a train is visible is unsafe because sight distance can be limited, and the stop is not dependent on a flagman standing in the lane. Five feet is also too close to describe the required approach. Treat any active crossing warning as a command to stop 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail.

Source: the Georgia Drivers Manual, Section 11: Crashes. 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.