Theory Test: Accidents & Emergencies

To learn all about the Accidents & Emergencies category watch the video or read the article below.

The theory test featuring questions from this category is at the bottom of the page.

Topics Include

First Aid – basic first aid and dealing with road accidents.
Warning Devices – knowing how to warn other road users of an accident
Reporting Procedures – knowing how & when to call the emergency services & knowing when you must report road accidents.
Safety Regulations – understanding the warning signs and dangers for vehicles carrying hazardous loads.

Use Hazard Warning Lights

When stopped and temporarily obstructing traffic.
When you slow down quickly on a motorway because of a hazard ahead.

First Aid

To stop bleeding without the aid of a bandage apply pressure to the wound and, if possible, raise it.

If an accident victim has a burn, you should try and cool it, with clean, cool, non-toxic liquid, for at least 10 minutes. If anything is stuck to the burn do not remove it.

You find an unconscious casualty. You should check their breathing for at least 10 seconds. Do this by placing your cheek over their mouth and nose (to feel for breath) and then looking to see if the chest rises.

If the casualty is breathing you should still check that their airway is clear.

If a casualty isn’t breathing then chest compression should be given at a rate of 100 per minute. The correct depth to press is 4 to 5 centimeters.

When giving mouth to mouth resuscitation to a child you must breath into their mouth gently.

A person suffering from shock may be sweating and have pale grey skin.

An unconscious motorcyclist must only be moved if absolutely necessary, as moving them could worsen any injuries. Do not remove their helmet. Seek medical assistance straight away.

Any casualty with suspected back injuries should not be moved.

At any crash if you find an unconscious casualty your first priority is to check their breathing.

You must then:

check circulation
check if the airway is clear. If it isn’t, and you can hear snoring or gurgling noises, remove any obvious obstruction. Only tilt the head back gently as a last resort if the patient is unable to breathe
ensure professional help is on the way
stop any heavy bleeding
warn other traffic.

Try and keep injured people:

warm and comfortable by reassuring them
do not leave them alone.

Accident Scenes

If you arrive at a accident scene:

make sure all engines are switched off.
call the emergency services.
don’t put yourself at risk.
switch on your hazard warning lights.
get people who are not injured away from the scene (this is your priority).

If you are in a collision that causes damage or injury to any other person, vehicle, animal or property then you must stop and give the following details to anyone who has reasonable grounds for requiring them.

your name
the vehicle owner’s name and address
the vehicle’s make and registration
insurance details

If you cause damage to property and the property owner is not available then you must inform the police within 24 hours.

If you are involved in a road accident the police may ask to see your driving licence, insurance certificate, MOT certificate.

Long Tunnels

When driving through long tunnels variable message signs will warn you of congestion or an incident ahead.
Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front. If the vehicle in front stops or breakdown you may need to manoeuvre passed it.
If you breakdown use your hazard lights and call for help.
Tune your radio to the frequency shown.
If your vehicle catches fire continue through the tunnel if you can. If you can’t try and put the fire out.

Level Crossings

If you breakdown on a level crossing:

leave your vehicle and get yourself and any passengers away from the crossing
phone the signal operator
move the vehicle if a signal operator tells you to.

Motorways

If you get a puncture on a motorway pull up on the hard should and use the emergency phone to call for help.
Use your hazard lights to warn other drivers if you have to slow down quickly due to a hazard ahead or if your breakdown and can’t reach the hard shoulder.
A large box falls from a lorry. The lorry doesn’t stop. You should pull onto the hard shoulder near an emergency telephone and report it.

When using an emergency telephone you will be asked:

the number on the telephone
details of yourself and your vehicle
are you a member of a motoring organisation.

Other Facts to Know

If your engine catches fire you should pull up as safely and as quickly as you can and call the fire brigade. Do not open the bonnet.
While driving a dashboard warning light comes on, you should check out the problem quickly and safely.
If you breakdown and have a warning triangle, place it at least 45m behind your vehicle.

6 votes, 4.8 avg

Theory Test: Accidents & Incidents

1 / 30

You have broken down on a two-way road. You have a warning triangle. You should place it at least how far from your vehicle?

(mark ONE answer)

5 metres

25 metres

45 metres

100 metres

2 / 30

You are on a motorway. Luggage falls from your vehicle. What should you do?

(mark ONE answer)

Stop at the next emergency telephone and contact the police

Stop on the motorway and put on hazard lights while you pick it up

Walk back up the motorway to pick it up

Pull up on the hard shoulder and wave traffic down

3 / 30

While driving, a warning light on your vehicle's instrument panel comes on. You should

(mark ONE answer)

continue if the engine sounds all right

hope that it is a temporary electrical fault

deal with the problem when there is more time

check out the problem quickly and safely

4 / 30

Which three of these ites should you carry for use in the event of a collision?

(mark THREE answers)

Road map

Can of petrol

Jump leads

Fire extinguisher

First aid kit

Warning triangle

5 / 30

You are in collision with another moving vehicle. Someone is injured and your vehicle is damaged. Which FOUR of the following should you find out?

(mark FOUR answers)

Whether the driver owns the other vehicle involved

The other drivers name, address and phone number

The make and registration number of the other vehicle

The occupation of the other driver

The details of the other driver's vehcle insurance

Whether the other driver is licensed to drive

6 / 30

Before driving through a tunnel what should you do?

(mark ONE answer)

Switch your radio off

Remove any sunglasses

Close your sunroof

Switch on your windscreen wipers

7 / 30

You have stalled in the middle of a level crossing and cannot restart the engine. The warning bell starts to ring. You should

(mark ONE answer)

get out and clear of the crossing

run down the track to warn the signal operator

carry on trying to restart the engine

push the vehicle clear of the crossing

8 / 30

At an incident it is important to look after any casualties. When it is safe, you should

(mark ONE answer)

get them out of the vehicle

give them a drink

give them something to eat

keep them in the vehicle

9 / 30

A tanker is involved in a collison. Which sign shows that it is carrying dangerous goods?

(mark ONE answer)

10 / 30

You arrive at an incident where someone is suffering from severe burns. You should

(mark ONE answer)

apply lotions to the injury

burst any blisters

remove anything stuck to the burns

douse the burns with clean cool non-toxic liquid

11 / 30

At an incident a small child is not breathing. To restore normal breathing you should breathe into their mouth

(mark ONE answer)

sharply

gently

heavily

rapidly

12 / 30

At an incident a casulaty is unconscious. Which THREE of these should you check urgently?

(mark THREE answers)

Circulation

Airway

Shock

Breathing

Broken bones

13 / 30

An adult is not breathing. To maintain circulation, compressions should be given. What is the correct depth to press?

(mark ONE answer)

1 to 2 centimetres

4 to 5 centimetres

10 to 15 centimetres

15 to 20 centimetres

14 / 30

An injured person has been placed in the recovery position. They are unconscious but breathing normally. What else should be done?

(mark ONE answer)

Press firmly between the shoulders

Place their arms by their side

Give them a hot sweet drink

Check the airway is clear

15 / 30

A person has been injured. They may be suffering from shock. What are the warning signs to look for?

(mark ONE answer)

Flushed complexion

Warm dry skin

Slow pulse

Pale grey skin

16 / 30

A casualty is not breathing normally. Chest compressions should be given. At what rate?

(mark ONE answer)

50 per minute

100 per minute

200 per minute

250 per minute

17 / 30

Following a collision someone has suffered a burn. The burn needs to be cooled. What is the shortest time it should be cooled for?

(mark ONE answer)

5 minutes

10 minutes

15 minutes

20 minutes

18 / 30

You arrive at the scene of a crash. Someone is bleeding badly from an arm wound. There is nothing embedded in it. What should you do?

(mark ONE answer)

Apply pressure over the wound and keep the arm down.

Dab the wound

Get them a drink

Apply pressure over the wound and raise the arm

19 / 30

You are at an incident where a casualty is unconscious. Their breathing should be checked. This should be done for at least

(mark ONE answer)

2 seconds

10 seconds

1 minute

2 minutes

20 / 30

For which TWO should you use hazard warning lights?

(mark TWO answers)

When you slow down quickly on a motorway because of a hazard ahead

When you have broken down

When you wish to stop on double yellow lines

When you park on the pavement

21 / 30

You see a car on the hard shoulder of a motorway with a HELP pennant displayed. This means the driver is most likely to be

(mark ONE answer)

a disabled driver

first aid trained

a foreign visitor

a rescue patrol person

22 / 30

You are going through a congested tunnel and have to stop. What should you do?

(mark ONE answer)

Pull up very close to the vehicle in front to save space

Ignore any message signs as they are never up to date

Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front

Make a U-turn and find another route

23 / 30

You are on a motorway. A large box falls onto the road from a lorry. The lorry does not stop. You should

(mark ONE answer)

go to the next emergency telephone and report the hazard

catch up with the lorry and try to get the driver's attention

stop close to the box until the police arrive

pull over to the hard shoulder, then remove the box

24 / 30

You arrive at the scene of a motorcycle crash. The rider is injured. When should the helmet be removed?

(mark ONE answer)

Only when it is essential

Always straight away

Only when the motorcyclist asks

Always, unless they are in shock

25 / 30

Which of the following should you not do at the scene of a collision?

(mark ONE answer)

Warn other traffic by switching on your hazard warning lights

Call the emergency services immediately

Offer someone a cigarette to calm them down

Ask drivers to switch off their engines

26 / 30

At an incident a casualty is unconscious but still breathing. You should only move them if

(mark ONE answer)

an ambulance is on its way

bystanders advise you to

there is further danger

bystanders will help you to

27 / 30

Your tyre bursts while you are driving. Which TWO things should you do?

(mark TWO answers)

Pull on the handbrake

Brake as quickly as possible

Pull up slowly at the side of the road

Hold the steering wheel firmly to keep control

Continue on at a normal speed

28 / 30

Which TWO safeguards could you take against fire risk to your vehicle?

(mark TWO answers)

Keep water levels above maximum

Carry a fire extinguisher

Avoid driving with a full tank of petrol

Use unleaded petrol

Check out any strong smell of petrol

Use low octane fuel

29 / 30

Your car catches fire. What should you do first?

(mark ONE answer)

Lift the bonnet and disconnect the battery

Lift the bonnet and warn other traffic

Call a breakdown service

Call the fire brigade

30 / 30

You are in a collision on a two-way road. You have a warning triangle with you. At what distance before the obstruction should you place the warning triangle?

(mark ONE answer)

25 metres

45 metres

100 metres

150 metres

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