1994 GMC Suburban Owner's Manual - Page 171

Skidding In a skid, a driver lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid can most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions,and by not "overdriving" those conditions. But skids are always possible. The three types of skids correspondto your vehicle's three control systems. In the braking skid your wheels aren't rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causestires 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, easeyour foot off the accelerator pedal and quickly steer theway 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, orbraking (including engine braking by shifting toa 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 braking system (ABS) helm avoid only the braking skid. Driving Guidelines This multipurpose passenger vehicle is defined as a utility vehicle in Consumer Information Regulations issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the United States Department of Transportation. Utility vehicles have higher ground clearance and a narrower track to make them capable of performing in a wide variety of off-road applications. Specific design characteristics give them a higher center of gravity than ordinary cars. An advantage of the higher ground clearance is a better view of the roadallowing you to anticipate problems. They are not designed for cornering at the same speeds as conventional 2-wheel drive vehicles any more than low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily under off-road conditions. If at all possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers. As with other vehicles of this type, f d u r e to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or vehicle rollover. 4-11