2009 Hyundai Elantra Owner's Manual - Page 220

Driving your vehicle Smooth cornering Avoid braking or gear changing in corners, especially when roads are wet. Ideally, corners should always be taken under gentle acceleration. If you follow these suggestions, tire wear will be held to a minimum. Driving in the rain Rain and wet roads can make driving dangerous, especially if you're not prepared for the slick pavement. Here are a few things to consider when driving in the rain: • A heavy rainfall will make it harder to see and will increase the distance needed to stop your vehicle, so slow down. • Keep your windshield wiping equipment in good shape. Replace your windshield wiper blades when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield. • If your tires are not in good condition, making a quick stop on wet pavement can cause a skid and possibly lead to an accident. Be sure your tires are in good shape. • Turn on your headlights to make it easier for others to see you. • Driving too fast through large puddles can affect your brakes. If you must go through puddles, try to drive through them slowly. • If you believe you may have gotten your brakes wet, apply them lightly while driving until normal braking operation returns. Driving in flooded areas Avoid driving through flooded areas unless you are sure the water is no higher than the bottom of the wheel hub. Drive through any water slowly. Allow adequate stopping distance because brake performance may be affected. After driving through water, dry the brakes by gently applying them several times while the vehicle is moving slowly. Driving at night Because night driving presents more hazards than driving in the daylight, here are some important tips to remember: • Slow down and keep more distance between you and other vehicles, as it may be more difficult to see at night, especially in areas where there may not be any street lights. • Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare from other driver's headlights. • Keep your headlights clean and properly aimed on vehicles not equipped with the automatic headlight aiming feature. Dirty or improperly aimed headlights will make it much more difficult to see at night. • Avoid staring directly at the headlights of oncoming vehicles. You could be temporarily blinded, and it will take several seconds for your eyes to readjust to the darkness. 5 33