Arizona Driving Permit Written Practice Test

If your car becomes disabled on the highway, what should you do?

1. Try to repair it on the spot

2. Pull off the road and turn on hazard lights

3. Leave the vehicle immediately

4. Turn off all lights and wait

The correct answer is: Pull off the road and turn on hazard lights

When your car becomes disabled on the highway, the safest and most advisable action is to pull off the road and turn on your hazard lights. This ensures that you are out of the way of moving traffic, which is crucial for your safety as well as the safety of other drivers. By activating the hazard lights, you signal to other vehicles that your car is not operational and that they should exercise caution around your vehicle, alerting them to your situation long before they reach you. Stopping in a safe location, ideally on the shoulder of the highway, provides a buffer from the traffic, while the flashing hazard lights increase your visibility, especially in poor weather conditions or low light situations. This is a critical first step that you should take before considering other options such as calling for help or attempting repairs. Repairing the vehicle on the spot could be dangerous, especially on a busy highway, and leaving the vehicle can place you at high risk, as you may be exposed to fast-moving traffic. Turning off lights and waiting would not provide any indication to other drivers that your vehicle is disabled, which could result in accidents.