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An emergency stop is a driving manoeuvre that brings the vehicle to a sudden, controlled stop as quickly and safely as possible. It is usually performed when an unexpected hazard appears on the road, such as a pedestrian stepping into traffic, another vehicle braking suddenly, or an obstacle blocking the road.
In driving tests and real-world driving, the emergency stop is designed to assess or practice a driver’s ability to react quickly under pressure. The emergency stop is a critical skill that can prevent accidents in unpredictable road situations.
Carrying out an emergency stop might sound daunting, but with the right technique, it becomes a controlled and confident manoeuvre. The key is to act quickly without panicking, applying the correct braking method while maintaining full control of the vehicle.
During your driving test emergency stop, the examiner isn’t looking for perfection; they want to see that you can react promptly, stop the car safely, and then move off again with proper observations.
When the examiner signals (normally with a hand up, saying stop), release the accelerator instantly and apply firm and progressive pressure to the brake pedal. This reaction needs to be swift – any delay increases the stopping distance. This is the one time, when changing speed, that you DO NOT check your mirrors first.
Press the brake pedal harder than usual, but avoid slamming or locking the wheels. You should feel your body lean forward slightly in the seat, which is a good indicator that you’ve braked with enough force for the car to come to a firm stop.
When doing an emergency stop in a vehicle with a manual transmission, make sure you also press down on the clutch just before stopping, to avoid stalling the vehicle and reduce the risk of skidding. It is not a fail if you do stall; the most important thing in this scenario is that you stop immediately.
If you do stall, it is important to make sure you have control of the vehicle to avoid rolling back or forward. Apply the handbrake and put the vehicle in neutral.
Once you have stopped, apply the handbrake and select neutral. You must observe your surroundings to make sure everything is safe before moving again. Make sure you check mirrors and blind spots, signal to inform other road users and safely start driving again.
During the driving test, when the examiner decides to do an emergency stop, they will ask you to safely pull to the side of the road and explain the process. The examiner will explain how they will signal the stop (raise a hand and say stop), and they will check that it is safe to do so. Typically, this manoeuvre is done on a quiet road, often 30 mph or less.
The key is to stay calm and react quickly. The examiner is observing your reaction, control and observation.
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You should prepare for emergency stops mostly by practising in your car with your driving instructor. The Learn to Drive with RED app has practical driving and theory tips to help you get to grips with the process of doing a successful stop.
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The emergency stop signal refers to the examiner raising their hand and saying “STOP” to cue the manoeuvre. It’s not a light signal; it’s a verbal and visual signal during your test.
An emergency stop is a common manoeuvre that an examiner will ask you to do during your driving test. But it depends on how busy the roads are during the time of your test. If the roads are busy, then this will be avoided to keep you and other road users safe. This is why a practice emergency stop is tested in a quiet area with no surrounding hazards.
You should not signal during an emergency stop as you need both hands on the wheel. An emergency stop is a quick manoeuvre that, in a real-life situation, you would not have time to signal. When you can safely continue driving, signal and move off, checking the surrounding areas first.
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