1997 Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual - Page 181

Steering Tips Driving on Curves It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed. the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too much of those places. You can lose control. Refer to"Traction Control" in the Index. What should you do if this ever happens? Easeup on the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you 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 want to go slower. If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a curve, do itbefore you enter the curve,while your front wheels are straight ahead. Try to adjust your speed so you can "drive" through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then accelerate gently into the straightaway. A lot of the "driver lost control" accidents mentioned on the news happen on curves. Here's why: Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road surface makes it possible for the vehicle to changeits path when you turn the front wheels. If there's no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If you've ever tried to steer a vehicle wet ice, you'll understand this. on The traction you can get in a curve dependson the condition of your tires and the road surface, the angleat which the curve is banked, your speed. While and 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 4-11