1996 Buick Park Avenue Owner's Manual - Page 184

The traction you can get a curve depends on the in condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you're in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control. 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. Unless you have traction control and the system is on, adding the sudden acceleration can demand too much of those places. You can lose control. What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the wayyou want it to go, and slow down. Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are based on good weather and road conditions. Under less favorable conditions you'll wantto go slower. Try to adjust your speedso you can "drive" through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are of the curve, and then out accelerate gently intothe straightaway. L Erne ncie! There are times when steenng can D more effective than e 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 chld darts out from between parked cars and stops right front of you. You can avoid these in problems by braking -- if you can stop in time. But sometimes you can't; there isn't room. That's the time for evasive action -- steering around the problem. Your Buick can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your brakes. (See "Braking in Emergencies" earlier in this section.) It better to is remove as much speedas you can from a possible collision. Then steer around the problem,to the left or right depending on the space available. If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front wheels are straight ahead.