1997 GMC Suburban Owner's Manual - Page 195

Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and start your left lane 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 lane change signal and move back into the right lane. (Remember that if your right outside mirror is convex, the vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it really is.) e Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next vehicle. 0 Don't overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may be slowing down or starting toturn. 0 If you're being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right. 0 Skidding In a skid, a driver lose control of the vehicle. can 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 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. Loss of Control Let's review what driving experts say about what happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don'thave enough friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. If your vehicle starts to slide, easeyour foot off the accelerator pedal and quickly steerthe 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 distancewill be longer and vehicle control more limited. In any emergency, don't give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger. 4-13