Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time
you
need
to
get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close
to
the vehicle
in
front of you, you won’t have time
to
apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel the brakes
vibrate, or you may notice some noise, but this
is
normal. On vehicles with four-wheel drive, your
anti-lock brakes work at all times
--
whether you are
in
two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time.
In
many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If
you lose power steering assist because
the
engine
stops or
the system is
not
functioning,
you
can steer but
it
will take much more effort.
Variable Effort Steering
This system varies
the
amount of steering effort
proportionate to your vehicle speed. Steering is easier at
lower speeds for maneuvering and parking ease. As your
vehicle speed increases, the steering effort also
increases. At highway speeds,
the
amount of steering
effort is increased for vehicle control and stability.
Steering Tips
Driving
on
Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A
lot
of the “driver lost control“ accidents mentioned on
the
news happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each
of
us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving
on
curves. The
traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it
possible for the vehicle
to
change
its
path when
you
turn
the front wheels.
If
there’s no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction.
If
you’ve ever
tried to steer
a
vehicle on wet ice,
you’ll
understand this.
The traction you can get in
a
curve depends on the
condition
of
your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which
the
curve is banked, and your speed. While you’re
in
a curve, speed
is
the
one factor you can control.
4-9
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