Emergency Vehicle Operations Flashcards
7 cards from real POST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Emergency Vehicle Operations flashcards as text
Which of the following best describes 'target fixation' during high-speed emergency driving?
Answer: Focusing so intently on a hazard that the driver steers toward it
Target fixation occurs when a driver's eyes lock onto a hazard, causing the vehicle to follow the driver's gaze directly into the obstacle.
Under what condition should an officer discontinue a pursuit even if agency policy would otherwise permit continuation?
Answer: When roadway, weather, or traffic conditions create unreasonable public danger
Regardless of policy permissions, officers must terminate pursuits when conditions make continuing unreasonably dangerous to uninvolved third parties.
The term 'threshold braking' refers to:
Answer: Applying maximum brake pressure just before the wheels lock up
Threshold braking applies maximum brake force just short of wheel lockup, producing the shortest possible stopping distance in vehicles without ABS.
When multiple patrol vehicles are involved in a pursuit, which vehicle should activate emergency lights and siren?
Answer: Only the primary unit; secondary units follow without audio signals unless directed
Multiple sirens create confusing sound patterns for the public; only the primary unit maintains the siren while secondary units use lights and follow at a safe interval.
What is the primary hazard created when an officer brakes hard during a turn at high speed?
Answer: Loss of steering control caused by weight transfer and wheel lockup
Hard braking in a turn shifts weight forward and can lock wheels, causing understeer or oversteer and loss of directional control at the critical moment.
Which lighting configuration is MOST effective at improving civilian compliance at nighttime intersections?
Answer: Alternating flashing white and red lights combined with siren
Alternating red and white emergency lights combined with an audible siren provide maximum conspicuity and the clearest warning to drivers at night.
An officer's patrol vehicle begins to oversteer (rear slides out) during a high-speed curve. The correct response is to:
Answer: Counter-steer in the direction of the skid and ease off the accelerator
Counter-steering (turning into the skid) and smoothly reducing throttle input allows the rear tires to regain traction and straighten the vehicle.