Driving question for learner's permit: what would you do?

Question

We're driving home on a 2 lane country road. There are culverts, trees, fences, and homes along both sides of the highway. So, if you strayed off the highway, you might go into the ditch, run into a tree, fence, or home.

A 16 year old who just got a driver's permit (2 weeks ago) asked me this question as we're driving home tonight (I'm in the passenger seat):

Q. What would you do if a car is behind you and in the oncoming lane. Another car is passing in the oncoming lane and headed right for you! Do you

a) Brake and swerve left.

b) Brake and swerve right.

c) Brake and stay on course.

d) Not a, b, c. Explain.........

Totally serious. If you swerve right, you will most likely overturn in the ditch or hit a tree. If you swerve left-- oncoming traffic. If you stay the course--- crash sandwich with you in the middle.

Answer 1

<<<<<<<<<C>>>>>>>>

Answer 2

You would want to brake and stay in your lane.  The trick is not jamming on your brakes to slow down in a hurry but to slow gradually and the car behind you can see your brakelights and slow down as well.  However, you could force the other driver that is making the pass in the oncoming lane to have to brake hard by maintaing your speed.  If there is a crash the driver that is making the pass is at fault.  This is why drivers need to be alert to their surroundings.

Answer 3

My instincts say I would lay down on the horn, slow as much as possible and move as far right as possible and PRAY! If I was belted in I, which I always do, would feel safer in lower speed rollover than a head -on!

Answer 4

Of course, it's a terrible situation, but there are simple things you can do.

Simple physics indicate that it is better to hit a stationary object than it is to hit an object that has acceleration in your direction. So a tree will hit less hard than a car coming right at you.

If you have ABS you can slam on the brakes. If you don't have ABS, you need to pump the brakes.

The law states that the car attempting to pass into oncoming traffic HAS to slow down and pull back behind the car it is attempting to pass. Hopefully they'll realize that.

I would brake as much as I could on the pavement and swerve when it becomes apparent that I'm going to crash into the oncoming car.