2003 Chevrolet Blazer Owner's Manual - Page 216

2003 Chevrolet Blazer Manual

Page 216 highlights

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 ready for 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 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 traction, try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues - such as enough water, ice or packed snow on the road to make a "mirrored surface" - and slow down when you have any doubt. Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps avoid only the braking skid. Off-Road Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel drive. Also, see Braking on page 4-8. If your vehicle doesn't have four-wheel drive, you shouldn't drive off-road unless you're on a level, solid surface. Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some definite hazards. The greatest of these is the terrain itself. "Off-roading" means you've left the great North American road system behind. Traffic lanes aren't marked. Curves aren't banked. There are no road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In short, you've gone right back to nature. Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that's why it's very important that you read this guide. You'll find many driving tips and suggestions. These will help make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable. 4-15

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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 ready
for 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 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 traction, try
your
best
to
avoid sudden steering, acceleration
or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear).
Any
sudden
changes could cause the tires
to
slide.
You
may
not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is
skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-
such
as
enough
water, ice or
packed
snow
on
the road
to
make a “mirrored surface”
-
and slow
down
when
you
have
any doubt.
Remember:
Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road
Driving with
Your
Four-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel
drive. Also,
see
Braking
on
page
4-8.
If
your vehicle
doesn’t
have four-wheel drive,
you
shouldn’t drive
off-road unless you’re on a level, solid surface.
Off-road driving can
be great fun.
But it does have
some definite hazards. The greatest
of
these is
the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the great
North
American
road system behind. Traffic lanes aren’t marked.
Curves aren’t banked. There are no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In
short, you’ve gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some
new skills. And that’s
why it’s very important that you read this guide.
You’ll find many driving tips and suggestions. These will
help make your off-road driving safer
and
more
enjoyable.
4-1
5