Photo: Mark Thomas, Pexels
A tyre blow-out, brake failure, skid or stuck accelerator gives you seconds to react. This guide gathers the step-by-step advice from the official Australian handbooks, mainly WA’s Drive Safe, the ACT Road Rules Handbook and the NT Road Users’ Handbook. Read it before you need it, and talk it through with your supervisor. It is general guidance only: every situation is different, and your car’s owner’s manual has advice for your model.
Quick reference
| Emergency | First thing to do | Do not |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre blow-out | Grip the wheel firmly and ease off the accelerator | Brake suddenly or oversteer |
| Brake failure | Pump the brake pedal hard and fast, then change down a gear | Yank the park brake on hard |
| Stuck accelerator | Clutch in (manual) or select Neutral (automatic), then brake firmly | Turn the engine off while still moving fast |
| Skid | Ease off the brake or accelerator so the wheels grip again | Make sudden, harsh movements |
| Drift off the road edge | Keep the wheels straight and let the car slow | Jerk the wheel back onto the road |
| Car fire | Stop, ignition off, everyone out and away | Touch burning wires with bare hands |
What to do if a tyre blows out
A front tyre blow-out pulls the car towards the side of the blown tyre. A rear one makes the back of the car sway from side to side (WA, NT, SA, ACT).
- Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel.
- Do not brake suddenly, and do not over-correct with the steering.
- Take your foot off the accelerator.
- Once you have control, brake gently, keeping the car straight.
- Pull over somewhere safe and switch on your hazard lights.
Keep tyres at the right pressure and with tread at least 1.5 mm deep. Worn or badly inflated tyres reduce grip (WA, NT).
What to do if your brakes fail
- Pump the brake pedal hard and fast. This may build enough pressure to work the brakes for a while (WA, ACT, VIC, NT).
- Change to a lower gear, in a manual or an automatic.
- Apply the park brake gently, gradually increasing pressure. Sudden pressure can lock the rear wheels and cause a skid (NT, ACT).
- Use your horn and flash your headlights to warn others.
- Steer to avoid a serious collision and move to the side of the road (VIC, WA).
- Stop with the park brake and switch on your hazard lights.
What about ABS brakes?
In an emergency stop with anti-lock brakes, do not pump the pedal. Keep it pressed down hard and steer away from danger (NT). Pumping is only for a pedal that has lost pressure.
What to do if the accelerator sticks
If you lift off the pedal and the car keeps going at the same speed or speeds up, the accelerator is stuck (WA, ACT).
- Push the clutch in (manual) or select N for Neutral (automatic).
- Brake firmly without locking the wheels.
- Find a safe place to pull off the road and stop.
- Once stopped, turn off the ignition and switch on your hazard lights.
How to control a skid
A skid is almost always caused by the driver: harsh braking, harsh acceleration, rough steering or too much speed (WA, NT). Wet roads, oil, gravel, sand, painted lines and bald tyres make skids more likely.
Prevention is the ABC: accelerate gently, brake gently, corner gently (WA, NT).
The ACT handbook explains the main types of skid:
| Skid | Usual cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Rear wheel skid | Too much braking entering a corner, or too much power leaving one in a rear-wheel-drive car | Ease off the accelerator or brake, and steer in the direction the rear is sliding. Once under control, steer where you want to go |
| Front wheel skid | Too much speed or harsh steering. Too much power when cornering in a front-wheel-drive car | Unwind the steering slightly and ease off the accelerator. If caused by braking, ease the brake so the front wheels roll and steering returns |
| Four wheel skid | Too much braking, often with speed or harsh steering into a bend | Release the brake pressure without taking your foot off, then reapply without locking the wheels |
The best skid is no skid at all (ACT).
If you drift off the edge of the road
Rollovers are a major cause of deaths in the NT, often when a driver drifts onto the gravel edge and over-corrects (NT).
- Keep a firm grip and drive in a straight line.
- Let the car slow down gradually. The NT handbook says do this without braking.
- Check for traffic, then ease back onto the road (WA, ACT, NT).
Other emergencies
Shattered or cracked windscreen
Most windscreens are laminated and only crack. If yours shatters and you cannot see: slow down, look out through the side window, touch the brake to warn drivers behind, and stop as far left as is safe (NT, SA). The NT handbook adds what to do after you stop, including covering the air vents so glass does not get blown in.
Bonnet flies up
Slow down. Look through the gap under the bonnet hinge or out the side window, brake smoothly and pull off the road (WA).
Car fire
- Slow down, stop and turn off the ignition.
- Get everyone out and well away. Petrol may explode.
- Use a fire extinguisher if you have one and it is safe.
- Never touch burning wires or insulation with bare hands.
- Call 000 (WA, ACT).
Possible head-on collision
Brake firmly without skidding, flash your lights and sound the horn. Give the other car as much room as possible and look for an escape route, including leaving the road if you must (WA, ACT).
Stalled on a railway crossing
If a train is coming, get everyone out immediately. See railway level crossings in Australia for WA’s full procedure.
Animal on the road
Do not swerve at speed. Brake in a straight line (NT). See kangaroos and wildlife on Australian roads.
Common questions
Should I brake hard if a tyre blows out?
No. Hold the wheel, lift off the accelerator, and brake gently only once you have control.
Can I turn the engine off if the accelerator sticks?
The handbooks say select Neutral or push in the clutch first, brake, and turn the ignition off once you have stopped. The ACT handbook notes that when the engine is not running, power assistance for the steering and brakes is lost.
Do I pump the brakes in an emergency?
Only if the pedal has lost pressure (brake failure). With working ABS brakes, press hard and hold.
Which way do I steer in a skid?
For a rear wheel skid, steer in the direction the back of the car is sliding, then towards where you want to go (ACT).
What do I do after the car is stopped?
Hazard lights on, get safely off the road and call for help. See what to do after a crash for breakdowns and crashes.
Related: the Australian Road Rules explained, driving in rain, fog, smoke and floods and WA driving techniques for safer drivers.
Sources
- Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure WA, “Drive Safe: A handbook for Western Australian road users” (transport.wa.gov.au)
- Access Canberra, “ACT Road Rules Handbook” (accesscanberra.act.gov.au)
- Northern Territory Government, “NT Road Users’ Handbook” (nt.gov.au)
- Government of South Australia, “The Driver’s Handbook”, February 2026 (mylicence.sa.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Planning Victoria, “Road to Solo Driving” (transport.vic.gov.au)