Escorts, Multiple-unit Responses, Weather, and Post-crash Procedures Practice Questions

25 multiple-choice questions on Escorts, multiple-unit responses, weather, and post-crash procedures for paramedic and EMT students, from Chapter 47 (Transport Operations). Read each question, pick your answer, then tap Show answer to check it and read the explanation.

25 practice questions

1. On a long, steep downhill grade, an ambulance's brakes can fade from overheating. To prevent this, you should:

   1. A. Shift to a lower gear before the descent
   2. B. Ride the brakes lightly the whole way down
   3. C. Shift to neutral to coast down the hill
   4. D. Turn off the engine to save the brakes
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Shift to a lower gear before the descent

   A lower gear lets engine braking control speed so the brakes stay cool. Riding the brakes causes fade, and coasting in neutral or shutting off the engine removes engine braking and can disable power steering and brakes.

2. An escort may be appropriate for an ambulance crew that:

   1. A. Wants to arrive faster on an urgent call
   2. B. Needs to clear heavy traffic on a call
   3. C. Cannot find the location on its own
   4. D. Is transporting a stable, low-acuity patient
   Show answer

   Answer: C. Cannot find the location on its own

   Escorts may help when crews cannot find the location, such as in an unfamiliar area during mutual aid. Speed alone is not a reason, and stable patients need no escort.

3. During a lights-and-siren response, you reach a work zone where a flagger holds a STOP sign. You should:

   1. A. Pass the flagger, since your call is exempt
   2. B. Stop and follow the flagger's directions
   3. C. Drive through the closed lane at speed
   4. D. Sound the horn until the flagger moves
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Stop and follow the flagger's directions

   Flaggers control traffic for worker safety and can let you through when it is safe; workers and equipment may be in the closed lane. Exemptions do not include ignoring traffic control by a flagger or officer.

4. Two emergency vehicles approach the same intersection from different directions with sirens on. The main danger is that:

   1. A. Both sirens together are too loud for other drivers
   2. B. Traffic lights change to green for both
   3. C. The lights cancel each other out at night
   4. D. Neither driver hears the other's siren
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Neither driver hears the other's siren

   Each operator's own siren masks the approaching siren of the other unit, which has caused fatal emergency vehicle collisions. Radio coordination and full stops at intersections reduce this risk.

5. A tornado warning is issued while you transport a stable patient, and a funnel cloud is ahead. You should:

   1. A. Get to a nearby sturdy building if safe
   2. B. Park under a highway overpass for cover
   3. C. Speed up and drive past the funnel
   4. D. Stop in the open and wait it out
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Get to a nearby sturdy building if safe

   NWS advice is to drive to a sturdy building and shelter there if you can reach it safely. If you cannot, stay buckled in the vehicle with heads below the windows and covered, or get into a ditch or low area that is clearly lower than the road. Overpasses funnel wind and debris and are dangerous, racing past a tornado is never safe, and simply stopping in the open without taking the last-resort precautions leaves everyone exposed.

6. While driving in heavy rain, you notice the steering suddenly feels light as you pass through standing water. This is most likely:

   1. A. Brake fade from overheated brake pads and rotors
   2. B. Normal handling of a loaded ambulance
   3. C. A flat tire on the rear driver's side
   4. D. Hydroplaning on the film of water
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Hydroplaning on the film of water

   Hydroplaning happens when the tires ride up on a film of water and lose contact with the road, so the steering suddenly feels light; it can begin at around 35 mph, or lower with worn tires and deeper water. Brake fade shows as a soft pedal and longer stops after heavy braking, a loaded ambulance should never lose steering feel, and a flat rear tire causes pulling and wobble rather than a sudden light feel in standing water.

7. The ambulance begins to hydroplane on a wet road. You should:

   1. A. Brake hard to stop the vehicle at once
   2. B. Ease off the gas and hold the wheel steady
   3. C. Turn the wheel sharply toward the shoulder
   4. D. Accelerate to regain traction quickly
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Ease off the gas and hold the wheel steady

   Gently lifting off the accelerator and keeping the wheel straight lets the tires regain contact with the road. Hard braking or sharp steering can cause a skid or rollover when traction returns.

8. The rear of the ambulance starts to slide to the right on an icy road. You should steer:

   1. A. Opposite the direction the rear slides
   2. B. Hard to the left and brake firmly
   3. C. In the direction the rear is sliding
   4. D. Straight ahead and accelerate
   Show answer

   Answer: C. In the direction the rear is sliding

   Steering into the skid (toward the direction the rear is sliding) helps the vehicle regain alignment. Oversteering or hard braking can cause a spin.

9. Your ambulance has antilock brakes. In an emergency stop on a wet road, you should:

   1. A. Press firmly and hold steady pressure
   2. B. Pump the brakes rapidly to avoid lockup
   3. C. Use the parking brake to stop faster
   4. D. Brake lightly and steer onto the shoulder
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Press firmly and hold steady pressure

   With ABS, apply firm, steady pressure and let the system modulate the brakes; pumping defeats the ABS. Pumping applies only to vehicles without antilock brakes.

10. Driving in dense fog during an emergency response, you should use:

    1. A. High-beam headlights to see farther
    2. B. Emergency lights, with no headlights
    3. C. Hazard flashers while driving at speed
    4. D. Low-beam headlights and reduce speed
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Low-beam headlights and reduce speed

    High beams reflect off fog and reduce visibility, so use low beams and slow down. Emergency lights alone do not light the road.

11. You reach a road where water is flowing across the pavement and the depth is unknown. You should:

    1. A. Find another route and avoid the water
    2. B. Drive through quickly to keep momentum
    3. C. Drive through slowly in low gear
    4. D. Wait in the water until it recedes
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Find another route and avoid the water

    As little as 12 inches of moving water can float a vehicle, and 2 feet can sweep away large vehicles; the depth and road condition are unknown. 'Turn around, don't drown' applies to ambulances too.

12. The most dangerous time on a snowy or icy road is often when:

    1. A. Snow has packed down after many hours
    2. B. The road has been salted heavily the night before
    3. C. It is near freezing and the ice is thin
    4. D. Temperatures stay well below zero
    Show answer

    Answer: C. It is near freezing and the ice is thin

    Near freezing, a thin film of water on ice (or black ice) makes the road very slick and hard to see. Very cold, dry snow can give more traction.

13. Strong crosswinds on a bridge are a special hazard for an ambulance because:

    1. A. Its low center of gravity pulls it sideways
    2. B. Its tall, boxy body catches the wind
    3. C. Its long wheelbase makes it hard to steer
    4. D. Its weight can overload a bridge
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Its tall, boxy body catches the wind

    The tall, flat sides of modular ambulances act like a sail, making them vulnerable to swerving or rollover in crosswinds. Slow down and grip the wheel firmly on bridges and open highways. An ambulance has a high, not low, center of gravity, and neither its wheelbase nor bridge load limits explain the crosswind hazard.

14. At a railroad crossing with no gates or lights, during an emergency response you should:

    1. A. Cross at speed, since you have the right of way
    2. B. Slow, look both ways, and cross when clear
    3. C. Rely on the train hearing your siren
    4. D. Stop on the tracks and look for a train
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Slow, look both ways, and cross when clear

    Trains cannot stop quickly and do not yield; even emergency vehicles must check the tracks before crossing. Never stop on the tracks.

15. After an ambulance crash, the crew's documentation should include:

    1. A. Facts, photos, and witness information
    2. B. Their opinion about who was at fault
    3. C. A summary for the local news media
    4. D. The repair estimate from the station mechanic
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Facts, photos, and witness information

    Objective facts, scene photos, and witness contacts support the investigation and any claims. Opinions about fault belong with investigators, not in the crew's statement.

16. After an ambulance crash with a patient on board, the crew is uninjured. Care of the patient should be:

    1. A. Stopped until police finish their crash report
    2. B. Given to the other driver to watch
    3. C. Handed to the first bystander who offers
    4. D. Continued, with a second unit sent
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Continued, with a second unit sent

    The patient remains the crew's responsibility; continue care and request another ambulance to complete transport. The crashed unit may be unsafe to drive.

17. After any ambulance crash, crews should expect that agency policy may require:

    1. A. A quick verbal note to the station captain
    2. B. No documentation if the damage was minor
    3. C. A report, a supervisor review, and drug testing
    4. D. A cash settlement with the other driver
    Show answer

    Answer: C. A report, a supervisor review, and drug testing

    Most agencies require written reports, supervisor and law enforcement involvement, and post-crash drug and alcohol testing. Minor crashes must still be documented.

18. After a crash involving your ambulance, the other driver asks whose fault it was. You should:

    1. A. Admit fault to calm the other driver
    2. B. Blame the other driver for the crash
    3. C. Give facts to police without assigning blame
    4. D. Refuse to speak with police until a lawyer arrives
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Give facts to police without assigning blame

    Provide factual information to law enforcement and your supervisor and avoid admitting or assigning fault at the scene. Refusing to cooperate with police is not appropriate.

19. You are transporting a patient through a school zone during school hours with lights and siren. You should:

    1. A. Slow down and watch closely for children
    2. B. Keep your speed, since your siren clears the way
    3. C. Turn off the siren to avoid scaring children
    4. D. Use the horn constantly to warn children
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Slow down and watch closely for children

    Children may not recognize or respond to warning devices and can dart into the road. Slowing in school zones is part of due regard.

20. During a snowstorm, your agency director reminds you that ambulance tires and chains should be:

    1. A. Installed once the unit becomes stuck in snow
    2. B. Checked and ready before winter weather
    3. C. Left off, because chains damage the road
    4. D. Used on dry pavement for extra grip
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Checked and ready before winter weather

    Winter readiness includes good tires and chains or other traction aids before storms hit; installing them after getting stuck delays response. Chains are used on snow and ice, not dry pavement.

21. You are driving at night when you see the headlights of an oncoming vehicle in your lane. You should:

    1. A. Flash your high beams and hold your lane
    2. B. Swerve left into the opposite lane
    3. C. Accelerate to pass before impact
    4. D. Slow, move right, and sound the horn
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Slow, move right, and sound the horn

    Slowing and moving to the right while warning the other driver gives the best chance to avoid a head-on collision. Swerving left may put you in the path if the other driver corrects.

22. Tunnels and parking garages pose a special concern for ambulance crews because of:

    1. A. Sharp ramps that overheat the brakes
    2. B. Echoes that make the siren too loud to use
    3. C. Steep grades that drain the battery
    4. D. Low clearance and poor radio reception
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Low clearance and poor radio reception

    Modular ambulances are tall and can strike overhead structures; radio signals may also be lost. Know the vehicle's height and plan routes. Garage ramps are short and do not overheat brakes or drain the battery, and echo does not prevent siren use.

23. During an evacuation for a wildfire, your crew is assigned to transport nursing home residents. The best way to manage several ambulances on one route is to:

    1. A. Have each unit choose its own path
    2. B. Run units nose to tail at high speed
    3. C. Coordinate through incident command
    4. D. Send units without radio contact
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Coordinate through incident command

    Incident command assigns routes, staging, and destinations; units maintain spacing and radio contact. Uncoordinated travel risks crashes and lost patients.

24. You arrive at a scene where a vehicle went off the road in a snowstorm. Before stopping, you should:

    1. A. Stop just beyond a blind curve to block traffic
    2. B. Choose a spot that lets others see you in time
    3. C. Stop on the hill where you can see down
    4. D. Park in the travel lane right behind the car
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Choose a spot that lets others see you in time

    Position the ambulance where approaching drivers can see it from far enough away to stop on slick roads, using warning lights and cones. Stopping just beyond a blind curve or hilltop invites a rear-end crash.

25. A crew is assigned to transport an EMS provider who was injured in an ambulance crash. Afterward, the agency should:

    1. A. Review the crash to find causes
    2. B. Close the case once the provider is treated
    3. C. Discipline the driver before any review
    4. D. Keep the details private from the crews
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Review the crash to find causes

    A systematic crash review identifies factors such as speed, fatigue, intersection technique, or vehicle defects and leads to training and policy changes. Sharing lessons learned improves safety for all crews.