Missouri · Handbook chapter 7 · 4 min read
Chapter 7: Special conditions and emergencies
Missouri advice for night driving, headlights, winter roads, wet pavement, hydroplaning, anti-lock brakes, skids and fog, and what to do when brakes, steering, tires, headlights or the accelerator fail or you stall on railroad tracks.
Why this chapter matters
Darkness, ice and rain change how far ahead you can see and how quickly you can stop. Knowing the right response to a skid or a blowout in advance can keep you alive.
Night driving
- Turn headlights on from half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise.
- Headlights let you see only about 350 feet ahead, so do not overdrive them.
- Use high beams when no one is coming. Switch to low beams within 500 feet (about a block) of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet when following.
- Use the edge line (or center line) as a guide, and watch for people and cars on the roadside.
- You must also use headlights whenever the weather requires windshield wipers.
Winter driving
- Clear all snow and ice from windows and lights before you drive.
- Slow down, do not use cruise control, and start gently. If wheels spin, rock back and forth or spread salt, sand or cat litter, and never let anyone stand in line with the wheels.
- Leave 8 to 10 seconds behind the car ahead on snow or ice.
- Brake gently; on very slippery surfaces, pump the brakes (unless you have ABS).
- Bridges and overpasses freeze first.
- Do not use four-wheel drive on ice; 4WD vehicles can overturn. If you hit ice in 4WD, take your foot off the gas.
Wet pavement and hydroplaning
Rain mixes with dust and oil to form a slick film, and wet leaves are slippery. Slow down, leave more space, and do not use cruise control. Hydroplaning can happen at any speed over 35 mph, and in a heavy storm tires can lose all contact at 55 mph. If it happens, ease off the gas and slow down; do not hit the brakes. Good, properly inflated tires help prevent it.
Anti-lock brakes
With four-wheel ABS, keep firm, steady pressure on the brake and steer. Do not pump the brakes, and do not be alarmed by pulsing or noise; it means ABS is working.
Skids
Take your foot off the gas, do not brake, and gently steer in the direction the rear wheels are sliding. Braking or jerking the wheel makes it worse.
Fog
Slow down, be ready to stop, and use low beams. If you cannot see, pull off the road and leave your lights and flashers on.
Vehicle emergencies
Do not panic. With power steering or a locking wheel, do not turn off the key until you have stopped.
| Emergency | What to do |
|---|---|
| Brake failure | Pump the pedal fast and hard; use the parking brake gradually; shift to a low gear; get off the road and call for help |
| Tire blowout | Hold the wheel tightly, ease off the gas without braking, let the car slow off the road, brake only when almost stopped |
| Wheels off the pavement | Hold the wheel, ease off the gas, brake gently if needed, return when slowed and the lane is clear |
| Steering failure | Ease off the gas, let the car slow, brake only when almost stopped, flashers on |
| Headlight failure | Try the switches; then use parking lights, flashers or turn signals and pull off |
| Stuck accelerator | Shift to neutral, brake, steer off the road, warn others; turn off the ignition only once stopped |
| Blocked vision (hood flies up) | Roll down the window to see around it, flashers on, pull off |
| Car coming head-on in your lane | Slow down, pull right and sound the horn; do not swerve left |
Stalled on railroad tracks
If a train is coming, unbuckle, get out and off the tracks, and run toward the direction the train is coming from, so you are not hit by debris. If no train is in sight, roll down the windows and listen, try to restart, and if that fails, shift to neutral and push the car off.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead do headlights let you see?
About 350 feet, so drive slowly enough to stop within that distance.
When must I dim my high beams in Missouri?
Within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet of a vehicle you are following.
At what speed can hydroplaning happen?
At any speed over 35 mph; at 55 mph in a heavy storm, tires can lose all contact with the road.
Which way do I steer in a skid?
In the direction the rear wheels are sliding, without braking.
Based on the Missouri Driver Guide (Missouri Department of Revenue).