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Your
Driving and
the
Road
158
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 Oldsmobile’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 and an acceleration
skid are best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
If
your
vehicle starts to slide (as when you turn
a corner on a wet, snow- or ice-covered
road), ease your foot
off
the accelerator
pedal as soon as you feel the vehicle
start to slide. Quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go.
If
you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle
will straighten out.
As
it does,
straighten the front wheels.
Of course, traction is reduced when
water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material
is
on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your
driving to these conditions. It is
important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will
be longer and vehicle control more
limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced
1
traction, try your best to avoid sudden
steering, acceleration, or braldng
(including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear). Any sudden changes could
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