🚨Incidents, accidents and emergencies theory test questions

Incidents, accidents and emergencies questions cover what to do when something goes wrong: breaking down, stopping at or passing a collision, giving basic first aid, dealing with vehicles carrying dangerous goods, getting stuck on a level crossing and what the law makes you do after a crash. Most of it comes from Rules 275 to 287 of the Highway Code and Annex 7, First aid on the road, with level crossings in Rule 299.

For a breakdown, start with Rule 275: try to stop in a place of relative safety, and on a motorway the safest is a service area, then an emergency area or the hard shoulder. On ordinary roads, put a warning triangle at least 45 metres behind your car on the same side of the road, but never on a motorway (Rule 276). On a motorway the advice is Go left, Get safe, Get help (Rule 277). Get out on the side away from traffic and wait behind the barrier. If you cannot reach the left lane or a safe place, or cannot get out safely, stay in the car with your seat belt on and hazard lights on, and call 999 for the police. From an emergency area you MUST use the emergency telephone before rejoining (Rule 278).

At the scene of a collision (Rule 283), use your hazard lights, ask drivers to switch off their engines and stop anyone smoking, call 999 with the exact location and number of casualties, and move uninjured people to safety. Do not move injured people from their vehicles unless they are in immediate danger, and do not remove a motorcyclist's helmet unless it is essential. A common trap is the dangerous goods question: if a tanker or a lorry with orange plates is involved, keep well away, do not try a rescue yourself and tell the emergency services what the hazard plates show (Rules 284 and 285).

First aid follows DR ABC: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation. If someone is not breathing normally, start CPR in the centre of the chest, pressing about 5 to 6 centimetres deep at about twice a second. An unconscious casualty who is breathing goes in the recovery position. Stem bleeding with firm pressure, but never pull out something stuck in a wound; pad around it instead. Cool a burn with clean, cool water for at least 20 minutes, cover it with cling film and leave anything stuck to it alone. Do not give a casualty anything to eat or drink.

The legal side is short but tested often. If you are involved in a collision that damages or injures another person, vehicle, animal or property, you MUST stop and give your details to anyone with reasonable grounds to ask. If you do not, you must report it to the police as soon as reasonably practicable and within 24 hours (Rule 286). If someone is injured and you do not show your insurance certificate at the time, you must report it within 24 hours and produce the certificate within seven days (Rule 287). If you break down on a level crossing, get everyone out and clear first, then call the signal operator (Rule 299).