1995 Chevrolet Lumina Owner's Manual - Page 137

Braking in Emergencies At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation that requires hard braking. If you have anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same time. However, if don't have anti-lock, your you first reaction -- to hit the brake pedal hard and hold it down -- may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels can stop rolling. Once they the vehicle can't respond to do, your steering. Momentum will carry in whatever it direction it was headed when the wheels stopped rolling. That could be off the road, the very thing you were into trying to avoid, or traffic. into Steering Power Steering If you lose power steering assist because engine the stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but it will take much more effort. Steering Tips Driving on Curves It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed. If you don't have anti-lock, use a "squeeze" braking technique. This will give you maximum braking while maintaining steering control. You do this by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure. In an emergency you will probably want to "squeeze" the brakes hard without locking the wheels. you hear If or feel the wheels sliding, ease the brake pedal. off This will help you retain steering control. (If you have do anti-lock, it's different: see "Anti-Lock Brakes" in the Index.) In many emergencies, steering help you more than can even the very best braking. A lot of the "driver lost control" accidents mentioned on the news happenon curves. Here's why: Experienced driveror beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against road surface makes the it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn the front wheels. If there's no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in same direction. If you've ever the tried to steer a vehicle on wet you'll understand this. ice, The traction you can get in a curve depends on the 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 is control. 4-9