The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1960-12-23
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You may be a good driver. You
may never have had an accident.
But you can still get killed in
traffic, mainly because of accident
causing factors over which you
have no control.
Traffic authorities are aware Of
this danger. There are emergency
situations which can in an instant
put you on deadly spot. But COM
pensating for them is the mark
of a good driver-and a live driv-
er.
Out on the road there are all!
kinds of drivers, safe ones, bad
ones, Indifferent ones. Also cars
sometimes run out of control which
means if you're nearby you have
an emergency situation to deal
with. How you react to. this sud-
den peril often is the difference
between living and dying.
There are many common emer-
gency driving situations. For exam
pie, suppose you are going down
a steep hill when your brakes fail.
The car gathers speed. You can't
stop. What should you do?
Traffic experts have an answer,
based or the most part on simple
Recommendation: stay calm, train
yourself to expect emergencies.
Specifically, though, for the prob
lem in question the right response
would be to quickly pump the brake
pedal, gradually pull up the emer-
gency brake and shift into lower
gear if possible, and get far over
to the right to avoid other :raf-
fic.
Several other emergency sltua-
tons and how to live through them
include:
You're driving at night along a
straight road when an approaching
drivers headlights hit you full in
the eyes. He refuses to dim even
though you've flipped your car
lights several times. What should
you do?
No matter what the provocation,
it's foolish and deadly to fight back
with your brights. Instead, slow
down, keep to the right and guide
by the edge of the road. Don't
stare at his lights. Give him plen-
ty of room.
Approaching a crossroad at
about so, a car pulls out in front
of you from the right. You can't
stop in time. What should you do :?
The correct response would be to
brake hard, hold the wheel straight
then, at the right moment, swerve
to the right, behind the car.
Next, say, you're on two-lane
highway when car coming toward
you weaves a little then comes
at you head on. What should you
do?
The experts say if you have
time, blow your horn. But don't pull
to the left; he may switch lanes.
Hit the brakes and leave the road
if you have to, but do it before
he gets the same idea. If you do
get off the hard-top both right
wheels should leave the pavement
at the same time. Keep a firm
grip on the wheel and use the
brakes sparingly, if at all. If you
manage to escape, keep slowing
down until you can turn back on
to the road. But don't turn back
too sharply.
Another fairly common emer-
gency situation might find you
driving on a two-lane highway
when a bike rider on the right
shoulder suddenly spills in front of
you. What should you do?
If there's no approaching traf-
fic, the best thing to do is step
on the brakes, sound your horn and
steer far to the left around the
bicycle.
Lastly suppose you're doing 40
or so on a straightaway when a
tire blows. What should you do?
Authorities say emphatically not
to hit the brakes. Instead, get a
firm hold on the wheel, keeping the
front wheels straight, and ease up
on the gas. When you've slowed
down tread the brakes lightly, then
stop well off the travel portion to
change the tire.
SUDDEN THAWT Don't be
dead of winter!
LIFE LINES Even though