What should you do
if
this ever happens? Ease up on
the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it
to
go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you’ll want
to
go slower.
If you need
to
reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try
to
adjust your speed
so
you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait
to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective than
braking. For example, you come over a hill and find a
truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out
from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked
cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these
problems by braking
-
if
you can stop in time. But
sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room. That’s the time for
evasive action
-
steering around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes.
See
Braking
on
page
4-5.
It
is better
to
remove as
much speed as you can from a possible collision.
Then steer around the problem,
to
the left or right
depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9
and
3
o’clock positions, you
can turn it a full
180
degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have
to
act fast, steer
quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
4-1
1
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