2005 Lexus GX 470 Owners Manual - Page 489

DRIVING TIPS OFF-ROAD DRIVING PRECAUTIONS When driving your vehicle off-road, please observe the following precautions to ensure your driving enjoyment and to help prevent the closure of areas to off-road vehicles. a. Drive your vehicle only in areas where off-road vehicles are permitted to travel. b. Respect private property. Get owner's permission before entering private property. c. Do not enter areas that are closed. Honor gates, barriers and signs that restrict travel. d. Stay on established roads. When conditions are wet, driving techniques should be changed or travel delayed to prevent damage to roads. For owners in U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Puerto Rico: To obtain additional information pertaining to driving your vehicle off-road, consult the following organizations. D State and Local Parks and Recreation Departments D State Motor Vehicle Bureau D Recreational Vehicle Clubs D U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management CAUTION Always observe the following precautions to minimize the risk of serious personal injury or damage to your vehicle: D Drive carefully when off the road. Do not take unnecessary risks by driving in dangerous places. D Do not grip the steering wheel spokes when driving off-road. A bad bump could jerk the wheel and injure your hands. Keep both hands and especially your thumbs on the outside of the rim. D Always check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driving in sand, mud, water or snow. D After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc., check that there is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or trapped on the underbody. Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the vehicle is used with these materials trapped or adhering to the underbody, a breakdown or fire could occur. D In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt. Therefore, the driver and all passengers should fasten their seat belts whenever the vehicle is moving. 464