1998 Pontiac Firebird Owner's Manual - Page 180

The traction you can get a curve depends on the in condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at which the curveis banked, and your speed. While you're in a curve, speed the one factor you can control. is Suppose you're steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control systems -steering and acceleration have to do their work where -the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too much of those places. can lose You control. Referto "Traction Control" inthe Index. Try to adjustyour speed so you can "drive" through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. to Wait accelerate until you are out the curve, and then of accelerate gently into the straightaway. Steering in Emergencies There are times when steering can be more effective tha braking. For example, you come over a hill and find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere,or a child darts out from between parked cars and stops right in front you. You can avoid these of What should you if this ever happens? Ease up the do on problems by braking-- if you can stop in time. But accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want sometimes you can't; there isn't room. That's the time it to go, and slow down. for evasive action-- steering around the problem. Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencieslike are adjust your speed. course, the posted speeds Of these. First apply your brakes. (See "Braking in based on good weather and road conditions. Under less Emergencies" earlier in this section.) is better to It favorable conditions you'll want to go slower. remove as much speed as you can a possible from collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a or right depending on the space available. curve, doit before you enter the curve, while your front wheels are straight ahead. 4-11