Incidents, accidents and emergencies practice questions

1. Your car breaks down on a quiet B-road on your way to work. You decide to use your warning triangle. Where should it go?

Answer: At least 45 metres behind, on the same side of the road

Place a warning triangle at least 45 metres behind your broken-down vehicle, on the same side of the road. Take great care when placing it, and never use one on a motorway.

2. You break down on a motorway. Should you put out a warning triangle?

Answer: No, never use a warning triangle on a motorway

Warning triangles must never be used on motorways. It is too dangerous to walk back along the carriageway.

3. When may you use your hazard warning lights while stopped?

Answer: To warn others your vehicle is temporarily blocking traffic

Hazard lights are for warning others that you are stopped and causing an obstruction. Do not use them as an excuse to park illegally.

4. Driving home late, you're the first to stop at a crash where two cars have collided. One driver gets out, shaken, and lights a cigarette. What should you ask them to do?

Answer: Put out the cigarette and switch off engines

At an incident, the main dangers are fire and further collisions. Ask drivers to switch off their engines and make sure nobody smokes, then call 999 or 112.

5. At a crash, someone is injured and sitting in their car. There is no fire or other danger. What should you do?

Answer: Do not move them, keep them calm and call 999

Do not move injured people from their vehicles unless they are in immediate danger. Call 999 or 112 and stay with them.

6. After a minor crash, your friend's hand is burnt on a hot part of the engine. You have bottles of water in the car. How long should you cool the burn?

Answer: For at least 20 minutes

Cool a burn for at least 20 minutes with plenty of clean, cool water. Don't try to remove anything that is stuck to the burn.

7. An adult casualty is not breathing. How should you press on their chest when doing CPR?

Answer: Press down about 5 to 6 centimetres, about twice a second

For an adult, place interlocked hands in the centre of the chest and press down 5 to 6 cm about twice a second. Keep going until help takes over.

8. Should you give an injured person at a crash something to eat or drink?

Answer: No, do not give them anything to eat or drink

Do not give casualties anything to eat or drink. Keep them warm and reassure them until help arrives.

9. You hit a parked car and cannot find the owner to give your details. What must you do?

Answer: Report it to the police as soon as possible, within 24 hours

If you do not give your details at the scene, you must report the collision to the police as soon as reasonably practicable, and within 24 hours at most.

10. You're queuing at a level crossing near your village. A train goes past, but the barriers stay down and the red lights keep flashing. Your passenger says, 'It's gone, just go round.' What should you do?

Answer: Stay where you are, as another train may be coming

You must wait if a train goes by and the red lights keep flashing. It means another train is coming.

11. You're giving two friends a lift when your old car cuts out on the tracks of a level crossing. What should you do first?

Answer: Get everyone out and well clear of the crossing

Get everyone out of the vehicle and clear of the crossing straight away. Then use the railway telephone, if there is one, to tell the signal operator. Only move the car if there is time before a train comes.

12. An adult casualty at a crash is not responding to you. What should you do before checking whether they are breathing?

Answer: Open their airway by lifting their chin forward with your fingers

If there is no response, open the casualty's airway by placing your fingers under their chin and lifting it forward. Then look for chest movement, listen for breathing and feel for breath on your cheek. Get someone to call 999 or 112 as soon as possible.

13. A child at a crash is not breathing and you start CPR. How should your chest presses differ from those for an adult?

Answer: You may only need one hand and shouldn't press as far

For an adult, press in the centre of the chest about 5 to 6 cm, about twice a second. For a child you may only need one hand and shouldn't press down as far. For a baby, use two fingers in the middle of the chest and press about a third of the chest depth.

14. You have started CPR on a casualty who is not breathing. When should you stop?

Answer: When they start breathing or a medical professional takes over

Keep going with CPR until the casualty starts breathing again or a medical professional takes over. If they start breathing but stay unconscious, put them in the recovery position until help arrives.

15. Your car develops a fault on a fast dual carriageway. Which of these is the safest place to stop, if you can reach it?

Answer: A service area

On fast roads, a place of relative safety is best. A service area is the safest, then a lay-by, then an emergency area. A hard shoulder gives the least protection.

16. Your car breaks down at night on a country road. You have got everyone out. Where should you wait?

Answer: Off the road, not between the car and traffic

If you break down, wear high-visibility clothing and don't stand between your vehicle and oncoming traffic. At night or in poor visibility, don't block your rear lights.

17. You've broken down on the hard shoulder and walk to an emergency telephone. Which way should you face while you're on the phone?

Answer: Facing the oncoming traffic

Use the emergency telephone if you can, and face the traffic when you speak on it, so you can see danger coming.

18. Driving on a dual carriageway at night, you see flashing lights from emergency vehicles a long way ahead. What should you do?

Answer: Slow down and be ready to change lane or stop

Flashing lights from emergency or incident support vehicles in the distance may mean an incident ahead. Slow down, be prepared to move safely into another lane or stop, and follow any directions from police or traffic officers.

19. Driving home on the motorway with friends, you pass a crash on the opposite carriageway. Everyone in the car turns to look. What should you, as the driver, do?

Answer: Keep your eyes on the road ahead

When passing an incident, don't be distracted or slow down unnecessarily. Concentrate on the road ahead.

20. A rider has come off their motorbike on a quiet road. They're awake and talking, and there's no fire or traffic danger. Their friend wants to pull off the helmet. What should you say?

Answer: Leave it on unless removing it is essential

Do not remove a motorcyclist's helmet unless it is essential. Removing it could make neck or spine injuries worse.

21. A tanker with orange hazard plates has crashed and is leaking. What should you do?

Answer: Keep well away and tell 999 what the plates show

In an incident with dangerous goods, switch off engines, don't smoke, keep well away and give the emergency services as much detail as possible about the labels and markings. Don't use a mobile phone close to a vehicle carrying flammable loads.

22. You're in a minor crash and the other driver has good reason to ask for your details. What must you give them?

Answer: Your name, address and vehicle registration

If a collision causes damage or injury, you must stop and give your name and address and the vehicle's registration number to anyone with reasonable grounds for asking.

23. Someone was injured in a crash with your car, and you couldn't show your insurance certificate at the scene. What must you do?

Answer: Report it to the police and show the certificate within 7 days

If another person is injured and you don't produce your insurance certificate at the scene, you must report it to the police as soon as possible, within 24 hours, and produce the certificate within seven days.

24. You reach a crash and an adult casualty is lying still. After checking it's safe, how should you see if they respond?

Answer: Gently shake their shoulders and ask if they're OK

In DR ABC, R is for Response. Try to get a response by gently shaking their shoulders and asking loudly 'Are you all right?'.

25. At a crash, a passenger has a shard of glass from a broken window stuck in their forearm, and it's bleeding. Help is on the way. What should you do?

Answer: Leave it in and build padding around it

Check for anything that may be in the wound, such as glass. Don't remove it; build up padding around it, then apply firm pressure over the pad without pressing on the object.

26. What does the Highway Code advise you to carry in your vehicle in case of an incident?

Answer: A first aid kit

The Highway Code says to always carry a first aid kit, and to learn first aid from a qualified organisation, as it could save a life.

27. A cyclist has fallen at the roadside. They're unconscious but breathing normally, and there's no other danger. What should you do while you wait for the ambulance?

Answer: Put them in the recovery position

If a casualty is unconscious but breathing, place them in the recovery position until medical help arrives. Keep an eye on their breathing, and don't give them anything to eat or drink.

28. You've broken down on the motorway and are waiting behind the safety barrier for recovery. It's cold and starting to rain. What should you do?

Answer: Stay behind the barrier, away from the car

Wait well away from your vehicle and moving traffic, behind the safety barrier if there is one. Don't return to your vehicle, even if it's raining, cold or dark.

29. Your car breaks down on the motorway with your dog on board. You're getting out to wait behind the barrier. What should you do with the dog?

Answer: Keep it in the car unless it's an emergency

On a motorway, animals must be kept in the vehicle or, in an emergency, kept under control on the verge.

30. Traffic is queuing over a level crossing. The car in front has just cleared it, but there's no space on the other side for you. What should you do?

Answer: Wait before the crossing until there's space

Never drive onto a level crossing until the road is clear on the other side. Never stop or park on or near a crossing.

31. You stop to help at a crash. What should you ask the drivers involved to do?

Answer: Switch off their engines and not smoke

Rule 283 says switch off engines and ask others to do the same, and ask drivers and passengers to stop smoking.

32. A motorcyclist is lying in the road after a crash. When should you remove their helmet?

Answer: Only if it's essential and you're trained to do it

Rule 283 says do not remove a motorcyclist's helmet unless it is essential and you are trained to do so.

33. At a crash, an injured person is sitting in their car. There's no fire or other immediate danger. What should you do?

Answer: Leave them where they are and get help

Rule 283 says do not move injured people from their vehicles unless they are in immediate danger from fire or explosion.

34. You break down on an ordinary road (not a motorway) and have a warning triangle. Where should you put it?

Answer: At least 45 metres behind your car, on the same side

Rule 276 says put a warning triangle on the road at least 45 metres behind your broken-down vehicle, on the same side. Never use one on a motorway.

35. You arrive at a crash. What does the D in 'DR ABC' remind you to check first?

Answer: Danger: make sure it's safe to approach

Annex 7 says first check for Danger: make sure it's safe to approach before helping.

36. How should you check whether an injured person responds?

Answer: Gently shake their shoulders and ask loudly 'Are you all right?'

Annex 7 says check for a Response by gently shaking their shoulders and asking loudly 'Are you all right?'

37. A casualty isn't responding. How should you open their airway?

Answer: Place your fingers under their chin and lift it forward

Annex 7 says if there's no response, open the airway by placing your fingers under their chin and lifting it forward.

38. A casualty is unconscious but breathing normally. What should you do while waiting for help?

Answer: Place them in the recovery position

Annex 7 says place a casualty who is breathing but unconscious in the recovery position until medical help arrives.

39. A casualty has a bleeding cut with nothing stuck in it. What should you do?

Answer: Apply firm pressure over the wound

Annex 7 says if nothing is embedded in the wound, apply firm pressure over it, then fasten a pad with a bandage or cloth.

40. After a crash, two of the passengers aren't hurt. What should you do with them?

Answer: Move them to a place of relative safety, away from traffic

Rule 283 says move uninjured people away from the vehicles to a place of relative safety, and stay at the scene until the emergency services arrive.

41. You're the first to arrive at a crash on a fast road. Which of these should you do?

Answer: Stop somewhere relatively safe, use your hazard lights and call 999

Rule 283 says stop in a place of relative safety if possible, use hazard warning lights, and call 999 giving full details of the location and casualties.

42. You've broken down on a motorway and can't get to safety, so you must stay in the car. What else does the Highway Code suggest?

Answer: Put on high-visibility clothing if it's within easy reach

Rule 277 says if you cannot get to safety and must stay in your vehicle, put on high-visibility clothing if you have it and it's within easy reach.