2007 Cadillac Escalade ESV Owner's Manual - Page 334

If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a second skid if it occurs. Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, you will 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 reducing vehicle speed 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. Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) helps avoid only the braking skid. 334 Off-Road Driving This off-road guide is for vehicles that have all-wheel drive. If your vehicle does not have all-wheel drive or if it has 20-inch tire/wheel assemblies, you should not drive off-road unless you are on a level, solid surface. See Tires on page 450. Many of the same design features that help make your vehicle responsive on paved roads during poor weather conditions - features like all-wheel drive - help make it much better suited for off-road use. Its higher ground clearance also helps your vehicle step over some off-road obstacles. But your vehicle does not have features like special underbody shielding and a transfer case low gear range, things that are usually thought necessary for extended or severe off-road service. Also, see Braking on page 322. Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some definite hazards. The greatest of these is the terrain itself.