Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right
lane
to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be
slowing down or starting to turn.
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
If
you’re being passed, make it easy for the
Loss of
Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where
the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In
any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In
a
skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive
drivers avoid most
skids
by taking reasonable care
suited
to
existing conditions, and by not “overdriving” those
conditions. But
skids
are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A
cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid
only the acceleration skid.
If your traction control system is
off,
then an
acceleration skid is
also
best handled by easing your
foot
off
the accelerator pedal.
4-14
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