1996 Chevrolet Tahoe Owner's Manual - Page 175

Traveling to Remote Areas It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going to a remote area. Know the terrain and plan your route. You are much less likely to get bad surprises. Get accurate maps of trails and terrain. Try to learn of any blocked or closed roads. It's also a good idea to travel with at least one other vehicle. If something happens to one of them, the other can helpquickly. Does your vehicle have a winch? If so, be sure to read the winch instructions. In a remote area, a winch can be handy if you get stuck. But you'll want to know how to use itproperly. Controlling your vehicle is the keyto successful off-road driving. Oneof the best waysto control your vehicle is to control your speed. Here are some things to keep in mind. At higher speeds: you approach things faster and you have less time to scan the terrain, for obstacles. 0 you have less time to react. 0 you have more vehicle bounce when you drive over obstacles. you'll need more distance for braking, especially since you're on an unpaved surface. 0 Getting Familiar withOff-Road Driving It's a good idea to practice in an area that's safe and close to home before you go into the wilderness. Off-road driving does require some new and different driving skills. Here's what we mean. Tune your senses to different kinds of signals. Your eyes, for example, need to constantly sweep the terrain for unexpected obstacles, Your ears need to listen for unusual tire or engine sounds. With your arms,hands, feet andbody, you'll need to respond to vibrations and vehicle bounce. When you're driving off-road, bouncing and can quick changes in direction easily throw you out of position. This could cause you to lose control and crash.So, whether you're driving on or off the road, you and your passengers should wear safety belts. 4-16