1998 Chevrolet Astro Owner's Manual - Page 196

Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and start your leftlane change signal before moving out of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your inside mirror, activate your right lanechange signal and move backinto the right lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror is convex.The vehicle you just passed may seemto be farther away from you than it really is.) Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next vehicle. Don't overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the brake lampsare not flashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn. If you're being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get ahead ofyou. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right. 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 ofskids correspond to your vehicle's three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels aren't rolling. In the steeringor 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, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be readyfor a second skid if it occurs, 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 these to conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control more limited. Loss of Control Let's review whatdriving experts say about what happens when the three controlsystems (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. 4-12