If a driver is seriously incapacitated or just pretty unwell at the wheel, what can / should the passenger do to control the vehicle.
My question has arisen since I changed to an auto and I realise my wife, a non driver, is not familiar with an auto box.
In the old old days, ideas like - steer first, turn off the ignition, select neutral heave on the handbrake and pray might have worked.
Today with column locks, power steering, servo brakes etc. switching off the ignition might not be a good idea.
It is a whole different situation these days.
Has anyone experience this situation?
Any advice would be useful.
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1) Steer
2) Push gearbox into neutral (may or may not need a catch pulling. Mine didn't)
3) Pull on handbrake
4) Panic?
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I'm probably missing a trick here, but...
What would prevent you from turning the ignition off? Surely if the engine's still turning you've got PAS still pumping (unless it's electrically driven...) and vacuum in the inlet manifold for the brake servo?
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Mike Farrow
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"What would prevent you from turning the ignition off?"
Careful, or you'll turn on the steering lock!!
Phil
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"What would prevent you from turning the ignition off?" Careful, or you'll turn on the steering lock!!
On my car that only happens if you remove the key.
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Mike Farrow
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On my car that only happens if you remove the key.
Every car I've had (with a steering lock) the lock came on one click past ignition off. I've not come across one that locked by removing the key.
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On my car that only happens if you remove the key. Every car I've had (with a steering lock) the lock came on one click past ignition off. I've not come across one that locked by removing the key.
All the Vauxhall's I've ever owned, the steering only ever locked once the key had been removed.
In fact, out of all the cars I've ever driven, I cannot recall one of them that the steering locked until the key was removed from the ignition.
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All the Vauxhall's I've ever owned, the steering only ever locked once the key had been removed.
The only Vauxhall I ever owned (mkII Astravan) locked with the keys still in. I know because, while it was sitting at my parents waiting for me to come home from Uni and perform an engine translant, my mother very kindly pushed it over a 6ft cliff at the bottom of their drive for me, due to the steering locking.
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In an auto, it would probably be best to make sure that their foot has been removed from the accelerator (which would be the most difficult part I reckon) so you are decelerating. Then apply the handbrake, slowly, so that the wheels don't lock. Lastly, depending on your gearbox, select the 'locked' gears like 3, 2 or 1 (depending upon speed) as soon as possible, so you will then have some degree of engine braking.
All of this should be combined with any required steering. Biggest tip of all, aim for something soft! (Like a hedge and not a car)
BTW: My Polo only locks the steering when the key is removed from the lock too. In fact, I believe a lot of 80's and early 90s VWs had this feature.
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Steer, put the car into neutral and pull on the handbrake whilst steering.
Make sure you do not drive a Mercedes (or some others)with the stupid foot applied hadbrake. I bought one years ago and my wife drove 3 miles and that was it she never drove it again as it was "tricky" in hill starts never mind emergency situations.
2/3 years back a Mercedes E class rolled down a slipway whilst the driver was elsewhere. The passenger could not apply the hadbrake due tro it being applied with the foot and a young child in the back seat lost his/her life.
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Don't think I can believe that people plan ahead for this!?
If the driver is that likely to pass out (without having time to brake), perhaps it's best not to drive in the first place?
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It's worth thinking about where the usual passenger is a non-driver. It's not so much about the driver being likely to pass out, but any unforseen (admittedly unlikely) situation. Chokes on a sweet? Heart attack? Reaction to insect sting? These things happen.
Reminds me of a recurring dream I used to have as child dfrom quite an early age - being in the back of the car and something happening to the driver (Mum or dad) and not having a clue what to do. Funny how the dream stopped after a few driving lessons!
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This sounds overly dramatic...Is it the sort of thing that troubles you? Do you go around your house wondering what the best escape route would be if there was a freak tornado or something....
I can hardly think that short of having a massive coronary that you would not be able to pull in to the side of the road as the driver. If you did have a coronary then you are in the lap of the gods anyhow....
Try worrying about less dramatic things or stop watching sensationalist reinactment/"police camera action" telly....
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Listen, if you have a heart attack and die at the wheel, do you really care about what happens afterwards?
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Not personally, but I imagine the other people in the car might be interested in what happens next.
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I think the best my non-driving and never-driven partner would be able to manage would be to yank on the handbrake. I've never thought about it before, but I suppose I ought to show her how to do it.
--
L\'escargot.
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I want to die in my sleep like my Grandpa, not screaming like his passengers.
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Steer, put the car into neutral and pull on the handbrake whilst steering. Make sure you do not drive a Mercedes (or some others)with the stupid foot applied hadbrake. I bought one years ago and my wife drove 3 miles and that was it she never drove it again as it was "tricky" in hill starts never mind emergency situations. 2/3 years back a Mercedes E class rolled down a slipway whilst the driver was elsewhere. The passenger could not apply the hadbrake due tro it being applied with the foot and a young child in the back seat lost his/her life.
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Actually the story was a bit more complicated than that. I t ocurred not far from where I live.
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If in a situation like that, reach out and brace the drive against his seat by gripping the B pillar. Gain control of the steering and try and steer the car out of danger and/or put your leg over to gain control of the pedals. Easier said than done but this works in LHD auto matic cars
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Buy an ex driving instruction car;)
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Years ago my Dad came home from a scrappy with a Viva handbrake lever that had been torn out the floorpan, bolts and shreds of metal still attached. He claims that the driver's wife paniced when he lost control and that she yanked on the handbrake so hard that it completely ripped it out of the floor.
No clue whether that was a wind up or not, and I can't imagine why it would have been ripped out like that. I did believe it to be true as at the time as The Hulk TV series was on and the basis of that show was superhuman strength in times of stress/trauma etc. 8-)
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It was a viva. The floor was rusty.
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It was a Viva that spent its life (pre-accident, of course)on a warm, tropical, Carribean island. Not to say that they won't rust in the absence of salty roads and perpetual rain, but the shards of metal looked to be corrosion free.
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Interesting subject this which must happen regulary enough for it to be a safety issue. With all the safety features now installed on cars how about an emgergency engine cut out button placed centrally on dash. This would perhaps need to be protected against accidental operation by say a plastic cover/bubble. As well as cutting the power it could also apply the brakes to bring the car to a safe stop as soon as possible.
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"Interesting subject this"
agreed
"which must happen regulary enough for it to be a safety issue"
err no. I dont see reams of news reports about this or see it mentioned in accident statistics. In my view its a purely a "what if" thing.
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"Interesting subject this" agreed "which must happen regulary enough for it to be a safety issue" err no. I dont see reams of news reports about this or see it mentioned in accident statistics. In my view its a purely a "what if" thing.
Acknowledged - but how do you know. I think about 10 deaths occur on UK roads every day (I may be wrong on this) which is 3650 deaths a year. Most of these only get reported in the local papers and local radio. Only national if its a serious motorway pile up or a multiple death accident.
To be honest, I've not thought of this before and most likely won't in the future but I would think some device centrally placed to cut the power easily might be worthwhile. I know you can remove the key but with most of these postioned on the right hand side of the steering column.
Just a thought in this safety concious world in which we live!!
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"I know you can remove the key but with most of these postioned on the right hand side of the steering column."
Just buy a Saab and problem solved.
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Interesting subject this which must happen regulary enough for it to be a safety issue. With all the safety features now installed on cars how about an emgergency engine cut out button placed centrally on dash. This would perhaps need to be protected against accidental operation by say a plastic cover/bubble. As well as cutting the power it could also apply the brakes to bring the car to a safe stop as soon as possible.
Picture the scene: driver and passenger arguing
"Stop the car now!"
"Don't be silly"
"Alright, i will"
Screech of brakes, car comes to a standstill, and not necessarily anywhere safe!
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Since my dog when bored can change radio station quite adeptly with her feet, I shudder to think what would happen if she pushed a big "STOP CAR NOW" button on the dash...
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'Years ago my Dad came home from a scrappy with a Viva handbrake lever that had been torn out the floorpan,'
A friend of mine broke the lock on rachet pulling on the handbrake of a van he thought was rolling.As passenger he used his right hand so,being right handed,applied much more force than usual.Old minis were prone to the floor cracking around the handbrake mount.
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>>Don't think I can believe that people plan ahead for this!?
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If the driver is that likely to pass out (without having time to brake), perhaps it's best not to drive in the first place
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Anyone of any age can have become unwell.
Hence it IS worth thinking about the situation.
Two current high profile cases. 1.Driver veered across the road and his wife was injured and 2.Richard Burns
>>This sounds overly dramatic...Is it the sort of thing that troubles you?Do you go around your house wondering what the best escape route would be if there was a freak tornado or something.... No.
>>I can hardly think that short of having a massive coronary that you would not be able to pull in to the side of the road as the driver.
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Exactly what appears to have happened as I indicated above.
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Try worrying about less dramatic things or stop watching sensationalist reinactment/"police camera action" telly....
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I have been too close to too many real events but I still do not worry.
Bombs gone off in UK, no militaty buildings I worked in.
Close enough calls with several airliner crashes.
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>>I think the best my non-driving and never-driven partner would be able to manage would be to yank on the handbrake.I've never thought about it before, but I suppose I ought to show her how to do it.
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Beware!!
Car being driven on a non sealed road when it started to fishtail mainly due to a flat tyre. Passenger, with the best of intentions, "yanked" on the handbrake. Car then spun totally off the road into the bushes.
So possible sequence of actions by a passenger.
1. Steer
2. Use the gears and handbrake to slow things
3. Get foot off the gas if possible
4. Indicators / hazard flashers if any hands left.
Oh and an added possible action
1.A? Switch off cruise control
When cruise control is in opperation in my Mondeo, unsurprisingly, applying the handbrake does not dis-enguage it.
At least the off button is on the passenger side of the steering wheel.
At least a few more have considered what action to take.
Thankfully none has experienced the situation.
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