2003 Buick Century Owner's Manual - Page 203

What's the worst time for this? "Wet ice." Very cold snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it's about freezing (32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there. Whatever the condition - smooth ice, packed, blowing or loose snow - drive with caution. If your vehicle has the Enhanced Traction System, keep the system on. It will improve your ability to accelerate when driving on a slippery road. Even though your vehicle has this system, you'll want to slow down and adjust your driving to the road conditions. See Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4- 10. Unless you have the anti-lock braking system, you'll want to brake very gently, too. If you do have anti-lock, see Braking on page 4-6. This system improves your vehicle's stability when you make a hard stop on a slippery road.) Whether you have the anti-lock braking system or not, you'll want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. Without anti-lock brakes, if you feel your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the brakes a little. Push the brake pedal down steadily to get the most traction you can. Remember, unless you have anti-lock, if you brake so hard that your wheels stop rolling, you'll just slide. Brake so your wheels always keep rolling and you can still steer. Whatever your braking system, allow greater following distance on any slippery road. Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until you hit a spot that's covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in shaded areas where the sun can't reach: around clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while you're actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers. 4-28