1993 GMC Jimmy Owner's Manual - Page 194

Your Driving and the Road Loss of Control Let's review what driving experts say about what happens when the three controlsystems(brakes,steeringandacceleration)don'thaveenoughfriction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. In anyemergency,don'tgiveup.Keeptryingtosteer,andconstantlyseek an escape route or area oflessdanger. Skidding In askid,adrivercanlosecontrolofthevehicle.Defensivedriversavoid most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by not "overdriving"thoseconditions.Butskidsarealwayspossible. The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle's three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels aren't rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose corneringforce.Andintheaccelerationskid,toomuchthrottlecausesthe driving wheels to spin. A corneringskidandanaccelerationskidarebesthandledbyeasingyour foot off theacceleratorpedal. If yourvehiclestartstoslide(aswhenyouturn a comeronawet,snow-orice-coveredroad),easeyourfoot off the acceleratorpedalassoonasyoufeelthetiresstarttoslide.Quicklysteer to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your thewayyouwantthevehicle vehicle will'straighten out.As it does,straightenthefrontwheels. Of course,tractionisreducedwhenwater,snow,ice,gravel,orothermaterial is ontheroad.Forsafety,you'llwant to slowdownandadjustyourdriving totheseconditions. It is importanttoslowdownonslipperysurfacesbecause stoppingdistance wl be longerandvehiclecontrolmorelimited. i While driving on' a surface with reduced traction, try your best to avoid sudden steering,acceleration,orbraking(includingenginebrakingbyshifting toatowergear).Anysuddenchangescouldcausethetirestoslide. You maynotrealizethe surface is slipperyuntilyourvehicleisskidding.Learnto recognizewarningclues-suchasenoughwater,ice or packedsnow on the roadtomakea"mirroredsurface"-andslowdownwhenyouhaveany doubt. Remember:Anyantitockbrakingsystem skid.Steer'thewayyouwanttogo. (ABS) helpsavoidonlythebraking 4-22