1996 Chevrolet Tahoe Owner's Manual - Page 184

Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow orIce When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wheels won't.get good traction. You can't accelerate as quickly, turning is more difficult, and you'll need longer,braking distances. It's best to usea low gear when you're in mud -- the deeper the mud, thelower the gear. In really deep mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle moving so you don't get stuck. When you drive on sand, you'll sense a changein wheel traction. But it will depend upon how loosely packed the sand is. On loosely packed sand (as on beaches or sand dunes) your tires will tend to sink into the sand. Thishas an effect on steering, accelerating and braking. You may want to reduce the air pressure in your tires slightly when'driving on sand. This will improve traction. Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction. On these surfaces, it's very easy to lose control.On wet ice, for example, the traction is so poor that you will have difficulty accelerating. And if you do getmoving, poor steering and difficult braking can cause you to slide out of control. I A CAUTION: Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or rivers can be dangerous. Underwater springs, currents under the ice, or sudden thaws can weaken the ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice and you and your passengers could drown. Drive vehicle your on safe surfaces only.