Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control
systems— steering and braking — have to do their
workwhere the tires meet the road. Unless you have
four-wheelanti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can
demandtoo much of those places. You can lose control.
The same thing can happen if you are steering through
a sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those
two control systems — steering and acceleration — can
overwhelm those places where the tires meet the
road and make you lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the brake or 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 will want to go slower.
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.
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.
Steering in Emergencies
Thereare times when steering can be more effective than
braking.For example, you come over a hill and find a
truckstopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out
fromnowhere, or a child darts out from between parked
carsand stops right in front of you. You can avoid these
problemsby braking — if you can stop in time. But
sometimesyou cannot; there is not room. That is the time
forevasive action — steering around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes — but, unless you
have anti-lock, not enough to lock your wheels.
See Braking on page4-5. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to the left or right depending
on the space available.
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