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Question

Difficulty: MediumDealing with Vehicle Fires

While travelling on a motorway, you notice smoke emerging from under your car and realize the vehicle has caught fire. You pull over safely onto the hard shoulder and switch off the engine. What should you do next?

  1. A
    Attempt to place a warning triangle 45 metres behind the vehicle on the hard shoulder
  2. Evacuate all occupants immediately and move them onto the embankment behind the safety barrierAnswer
  3. C
    Keep all passengers seated inside the vehicle with doors closed while waiting for recovery services
  4. D
    Remain seated at the controls to check dashboard warning lights and diagnose the electrical fault

Answer

Evacuate all occupants immediately and move them onto the embankment behind the safety barrier
When a vehicle catches fire on a motorway, the immediate priority is life safety. After pulling onto the hard shoulder and turning off the engine, all occupants must exit the vehicle immediately and move to a safe position behind the safety barrier, preferably up the embankment and upwind of smoke.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Ensure the engine and ignition are switched off once stopped safely on the hard shoulder
Cuts off the fuel pump and reduces electrical supply to minimize fire growth
De-energising systems helps slow down fire escalation.
2
Instruct all passengers to evacuate the vehicle immediately without stopping for personal belongings
Removes occupants from the immediate vicinity of heat and toxic fumes
Life safety is the paramount concern during any vehicle fire.
3
Move everyone well away from the hard shoulder, standing behind the crash barrier and up the embankment
Protects occupants from exploding tyres, spreading flames, and passing high-speed traffic
Hard shoulders are hazardous environments and remaining near a burning car poses extreme risk.

Key Concept

Motorway vehicle fire safety and emergency evacuation procedures
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Dealing with Vehicle Fires

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