Skids, Hydroplaning, Vehicle Failures, Deer, Floods and Carbon Monoxide: Staying Alert Every 100 Miles or Two Hours, Handling a Skid, Anti-Lock Brakes, Rain and Fog, Hydroplaning at 35 mph, Horns on Narrow Roads, Never Coasting Downhill, Blowouts, Steering and Brake Failure, Running Off the Pavement, Deer From Dusk to Dawn, a Vehicle in Your Lane, a Vehicle Trying to Pass You, Stalling on the Tracks, Flooded Roads, Six Inches and Two Feet of Water, Plunging Under Water, Fire, Overheating, Headlight, Wiper and Hood Failures, a Stuck Gas Pedal, Hitting a Utility Pole and Carbon Monoxide

Written for aiforu2 as the source for a practice-test bank and the on-device tutor for the Minnesota Class D knowledge test. The facts follow the official manual; the wording is ours.

Source: Minnesota Driver's Manual (DPS DVS, June 2026 edition), Chapter 6 "Driving conditions", "Maintaining alertness and concentration" through "Carbon monoxide poisoning and safety tips" (pages 82–87).

Staying alert

Drowsiness is common and dangerous; rest well before a long drive. Stop at least every 100 miles or two hours to walk, stretch and eat or drink, talk with passengers or hand over the wheel, sing or use the radio when alone, open a window for fresh air, never rely on "stay awake" drugs, and if nothing works stop for the day or park far from the road with the doors locked and windows cracked.

Skidding and anti-lock brakes

On slippery roads slow down, keep your distance and turn off cruise control. A skid is the tires losing grip; stay calm, do not slam the brakes, take your foot off the accelerator and the brake until you can steer where you want to go. With anti-lock brakes, do not pump: press the pedal down and keep steering until you regain control, and read the owner's manual if unsure whether you have ABS.

Rain, fog and hydroplaning

In thunderstorms or fog, slow down, be ready to stop, lengthen your following distance, and use headlights on low beam when you cannot see 500 feet ahead or in rain, snow, sleet or hail; if you cannot see a safe distance, pull off and wait. At 35 mph or less tires wipe water away; above that water can lift them off the road, and hydroplaning tires cannot brake, accelerate or steer, so take your foot off the gas. Deep tread lets water escape, but any speed can hydroplane when the water is deeper than the tread, and in heavy rain standard cars can begin at 35 mph; keep good tires and slow on wet roads.

Narrow roads and hills

Approaching curves on narrow roads or where brush and trees hide the road, you may sound the horn to warn others. Never coast down a steep hill in neutral, and check the speedometer often, since speed builds even with your foot off the accelerator.

Vehicle failures

A blowout may be preceded by thumping or the wheel pulling to one side; hold the wheel tightly, steer straight, ease off the accelerator slowly, brake only once back under control, and pull fully off the road at the nearest safe spot. If the steering fails, ease off the accelerator and do not brake unless needed to avoid a crash; the vehicle may steady itself in a straight line as it slows, and sudden braking or shifting can throw it out of balance. A brake pedal that sinks slowly warns of brake failure; if it suddenly hits the floor, pump it, then apply the parking brake slowly, since it works only the rear wheels and a sudden pull can cause a skid, and downshift as you decelerate until you can pull over. If your wheels drift onto the shoulder, do not swerve back; stay on the shoulder, ease off the gas, and turn back onto the pavement only after slowing. If the headlights fail, try the parking lights, hazard lights or turn signals to guide you off the road; on a lit road you may see enough, and on a dark deserted road slow and stay on the pavement until you can reach the shoulder. If the wipers fail in heavy rain or snow, slow, turn on the hazards, avoid sudden braking with vehicles behind and pull off; if the hood flies open, look through the gap beneath it or lean out the window, turn on the hazards, slow and steer off. A stuck gas pedal may free with your toe hooked under it; otherwise brake, shift to neutral and steer to the shoulder, using the hazards and holding a straight path if the shoulder is unpaved. If smoke rises from under the hood, pull off, turn off the ignition, get out immediately and never use water, which spreads the fire. If the engine overheats in stop-and-go traffic, on hills or while towing, turn off the air conditioning, turn on the heater to draw heat away, and if the temperature spikes or steam appears, pull over and turn off the ignition.

Deer, head-on threats and passing vehicles

Deer are most active from dusk to dawn; scan the roadsides for eyeshine at night, slow if you see it, use the horn, be ready to stop, expect more than one deer, and expect them in towns as well as the country. If a vehicle comes toward you in your lane, move right, never into the left lane where the driver may return, steer off the road to the right if needed, and honk and flash your lights to rouse a sleepy or distracted driver. If someone passing you on a two-lane road misjudges oncoming traffic, help: if the passer is nearly past, slow so the pass finishes quickly; if the passer must drop back, speed up to make room behind you; and if a crash seems likely and the shoulder is wide enough, move right and let the passer into your lane.

Stalling on the tracks, floods and submersion

If you stall on tracks with a train coming, leave the vehicle at once and walk quickly at a 45-degree angle away from the tracks toward the direction the train is coming from, so debris flies past you. Flash floods come within minutes or hours of heavy rain; never drive through flooded areas, turn around and find another route, be especially careful at night, remember that six inches of water reaches the bottom of most cars and can cause loss of control or stalling and two feet of moving water carries away most vehicles including SUVs and pickups, and do not trust shallow-looking water that may hide washouts; wait on higher ground if there is no other way. A vehicle in deep water floats 30 to 60 seconds; get out immediately, through open windows before the water reaches them if possible. Submerged, the doors will not open until the pressure equalizes when the car is full; the engine sinks the front first, the rear compartment may hold an air pocket, and occupants should try to exit together.

Utility poles and carbon monoxide

If you hit a utility pole, wire or power box, stay in the vehicle and call 911, leaving only if it is on fire, and then jump clear with both feet together and shuffle away, assuming every wire is live. Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, builds up in a closed vehicle or an idling garage, and its only cure is fresh air; early symptoms are sudden fatigue, headache, dizziness and nausea, and at the first sign open the windows, shut off the engine and get out. Poisoning peaks in winter, can collect in a garage even with the door fully open, and can seep into an attached house and knock someone out within minutes. Warm up in the driveway rather than the garage, do not sit in an idling vehicle, do not drive with every window sealed, do not idle while stuck in snow or mud, keep the exhaust system leak-free and unblocked, and lower the windows now and then.

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