In a traffic emergency, when leaving the road, you should avoid braking until your speed has dropped to about what mph?

In a traffic emergency, when leaving the road, you should avoid braking until your speed has dropped to about what mph?

• A. 10 mph
• B. 20 mph
• C. 30 mph
• D. 40 mph

Answer: (B)

When you unexpectedly leave the roadway, your priority is to keep the vehicle stable on the shoulder and avoid a loss of control. Braking hard on the soft edge can cause tires to lose traction and the vehicle to skid or yaw, which is especially risky for larger vehicles. The safer approach is to ease off the accelerator to let the speed fall gradually, steer to stay on or near the road surface, and only begin braking once you’ve reduced speed to about 20 mph. At that point, you can apply gentle, controlled braking to finish decelerating without upsetting the vehicle’s stability. Slowing down more aggressively before you reach that threshold increases the chance of losing control on the loose surface, while waiting until you’re around 20 mph gives you a safer window to regain control.

When you unexpectedly leave the roadway, your priority is to keep the vehicle stable on the shoulder and avoid a loss of control. Braking hard on the soft edge can cause tires to lose traction and the vehicle to skid or yaw, which is especially risky for larger vehicles. The safer approach is to ease off the accelerator to let the speed fall gradually, steer to stay on or near the road surface, and only begin braking once you’ve reduced speed to about 20 mph. At that point, you can apply gentle, controlled braking to finish decelerating without upsetting the vehicle’s stability. Slowing down more aggressively before you reach that threshold increases the chance of losing control on the loose surface, while waiting until you’re around 20 mph gives you a safer window to regain control.