2003 Pontiac Montana Owner's Manual - Page 293

2003 Pontiac Montana Manual

Page 293 highlights

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 distance will be longer and vehicle control more limited. While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues - such as enough water, ice or packed snow on the road to make a "mirrored surface" - and slow down when you have any doubt. Driving at Night If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels are no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are rolling, you will have steering control. Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some drivers likely to be impaired - by are alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, by fatigue. or 4-16

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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 distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration
or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to
recognize warning
clues
-
such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road to make a “mirrored surface”
-
and slow
down when you have any doubt.
If
you have the anti-lock braking system, remember: It
helps avoid only the braking skid.
If
you do not have
anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels are
no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the
brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores
steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily
when you have
to stop suddenly.
As
long as the wheels
are rolling, you will have steering control.
Driving
at
Night
Night driving is more dangerous
than
day
driving.
One
reason is that
some
drivers are likely to be impaired
-
by
alcohol or drugs,
with
night
vision
problems,
or by
fatigue.
4-1
6