2003 GMC Sierra 1500 Pickup Owner's Manual - Page 315

Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow or Ice 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 longerbraking distances. It's best to use a low gear when you're in mud - the deeper the mud, the lower 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 change in 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. This has 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. Drive at a reduced speed and avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers. Getting out on the downhill (low) side of a vehicle stopped across an incline is dangerous. If the vehicle rolls over, you could be crushed or killed. Always get out on the uphill (high) side of the vehicle and stay well clear of the rollover path. 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 get moving, poor steering and difficult braking can cause you to slide out of control. 4-34