The Emergency Stop / Controlled Stop Manoeuvre
The Emergency Stop / Controlled Stop Manoeuvre is one of the manoeuvres that you might be expected to perform on your Practical Driving Test
The Emergency / Controlled stop manoeuvre is simple enough as long as you follow the rules
You will enjoy performing the Emergency Stop / Controlled Stop manoeuvre! Once this skill is mastered the emergency / controlled stop manoeuvre is often one of the favourite manoeuvres that pupils like to practice.
Emergency / Controlled Stop Manoeuvre - Hopefully never performed in real life.
The Emergency / Controlled Stop manoeuvre is one that I hope that you never have to perform. In most circumstances the Emergency / Controlled Stop manoeuvre is only performed when a driver misses something. Effective observations are one of the most important things that you are taught.
Emergency / Controlled Stop Manoeuvre - The Aim of the Emergency / Controlled Stop manoeuvre.
The aim of the emergency / controlled stop manoeuvre is to prove that you can bring the car to a halt in a straight line in an emergency situation.
This is the easiest of the manoeuvres that you may be required to perform during your practical driving test. Initiall there is sometimes a little hesitation for pupils to perform this manoeuvre but after the first two or three practice runs the vast majority have settled down.
The Emergency Stop / Controlled Stop Manoeuvre.
Emergency / Controlled Stop - The Briefing for the Emergency / Controlled Stop manoeuvre.
Before asking you to perform the Emergency / Controlled Stop manoeuvre your instructor will pull you in to the kerb and give you a briefing. They will say something like this:
"Quite soon I am going to ask you to stop the vehicle as if in an emergency. Just as if for example a small child ran into the road ahead of you. My signal for the manoeuvre will be STOP", said loudly at the same time as raising his right hand to just underneath the central mirror, "Please try not to anticipate the manoeuvre when you see me look over my shoulder to check that it is safe for you to perform it".
Emergency / Controlled Stop Manoeuvre - Do not anticipate the signal.
Do try not to anticipate the emergency/controlled stop command. It does happen that when they look over their shoulder they see a good reason not to perform the manoeuvre. That brings me nicely to my second point on anticipating the instructor / examiner. Once you have been given the brief the instructor will ask you to perform the manoeuvre as soon as they reasonably can. If they have to take you around a few corners first to find an empty road then so be it. Do not forget that you have been given the brief!
I once had a pupil who forgot that the examiner had given him the brief for the emergency stop / controlled stop manoeuvre. When given the "STOP" command and the signal he looked startled and only then did he brake! He had negotiated six road junctions between being given the brief and actually having to perform it. The examiner could not be faulted either. To have asked my pupil to perform this manoeuvre earlier would have been ridiculous with the traffic situation as it was. The circumstances just went against us. I do understand why this happened but the result was a foregone conclusion. The examiner had no choice but to fail the candidate.
The Emergency Stop / Controlled stop Manoeuvre.
Key Points of the Emergency Stop / Controlled Stop procedure
Emergency Stop / Controlled Stop
Moving away from the kerb.
As you are parked by the kerb at the beginning, the moving off is as normal.
Preparation - is as normal.
Observation - is an All Around Observation. To perform an All Around Observation, start by looking through the rear window over your left shoulder and look around through every window and mirror until you are looking into your blind spot over your right shoulder. That is an all around observation
Moving Off - If you see another road user that needs to know you should indicate right and wait to see what they choose to do. If they want to pass you, let them, if they pull up behind then you may move off. If there is no-one there then no signal is necessary. In either case once you have moved off a full set of mirror checks is required.
...and after the manoeuvre.
When you have performed the controlled / emergency stop manoeuvre and are asked to "follow the road ahead", you must remember that you are stationary so therefore your driving plan is P.O.M.
Emergency Stop / Controlled Stop
Gears
The speed at which the manoeuvre is usually conducted is thirty miles per hour. No matter which gear you would normally use at this speed, to perform this manoeuvre there are advantages for you to be in third gear.
If you were cruising along a main road at thirty miles per hour in fourth gear and took your foot off the gas pedal nothing much would happen because fourth is a high gear that you can go quite fast in. Therefore when you put the brakes on the engine keeps trying to push you along. If you were in third and did the same thing you would find that the car begins to slow immediately because third is a lower gear that offers more control.
Emergency Stop / Controlled Stop
Braking and Skidding.
Skids are caused by braking that is too severe for the road conditions thereby locking up the wheels. Leaving the car in third gear whilst you break helps to prevent the wheels from locking up.
Braking during the manoeuvre is meant to be progressive. Normally you break quite gently. Applying the brakes a little by little to achieve a smooth stop. Progressive braking is continuously and quickly pushing the brake pedal further down until the car stops. The stop will be quite sudden.
Your instructors car probably have an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) fitted. This helps enormously. It means that the machinery fitted to the car will not allow it to skid. If this is not fitted do not worry. They will teach you how hard to brake and how to cadence brake if necessary.
Emergency Stop / Controlled Stop
Steering.
The vehicle should be brought to a halt in a straight line so no steering should be necessary. Modern power assisted steering has taken away the need to hold on just in case while performing this manoeuvre.
Emergency Stop / Controlled Stop
Observations.
When you receive the "STOP" command there are no mirror checks or signals necessary. There are no time for mirror checks in a real emergency situation and the brake lights tell other road users that you are stopping.
When you have performed the emergency stop and are asked to "follow the road ahead"; you must remember to perform an All Around Observation. Start by looking through the rear window over your left shoulder and look around through every window and mirror until you are looking into your blind spot over your right shoulder. That is an all around observation.
Emergency / Controlled Stop Manoeuvre - Performing the Emergency / Controlled Stop manoeuvre.
Emergency Stop / Controlled Stop
Moving off.
Move off as normal when asked to and make progress up to thirty miles per hour if possible and stay in third gear.
Do not anticipate the "STOP" command.
When you hear the "STOP" command.
React as quickly as possible to the "STOP" command and brake progressively, maintaining a normal driving position.
Press the clutch to the floor before the vehicle stops.
Keep both hands on the steering wheel until the car is stationary.
Emergency Stop / Controlled Stop
Once stationary.
Once stationary apply the handbrake and select neutral.
You have now completed the emergency stop phase of the manoeuvre. Do not forget that the moving away is as important as the stop.
The instructor will now say, "Thank you very much. You will not be asked to perform that manoeuvre again. Please follow the road ahead".
You are stationary so your driving plan is P.O.M and you are not in a parking position so there is a need for an all around observation.
Preparation - As normal.
Observation - All Around Observation then signal if necessary.
Manoeuvre - when it is safe to do so; move away and perform a full set of mirror checks.
The Emergency Stop / Controlled Stop Manoeuvre.
What we are looking for in a good Emergency / Controlled Stop.
Co-Ordination.
Proper co-ordination with the brake being pressed before the clutch goes down and a firmly progressive braking action to stop the car. Keeping the steering straight and not locking the wheels
Observation.
No observations are necessary before the manoeuvre as there would not be time in a real life situation. An all around observation is required before moving off after the stop procedure has been completed.
Accuracy.
Bringing the car to a halt in as short a time as possible in a straight line.
