The traction you can get in
a
curve depends on the condition
of
your tires
and the
road
surface, the angle at which the
curve
is
banked, and your
speed. While 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. 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? Let up on the accelerator peaal,
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
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.
When you drive into
a
curve at night, it’s harder to see the road ahead of
you because it bends away from the straight beams
of
your lights. This is
one
good
reason
to
drive slower.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective than braking. For
example, you come over a hill and find a truck stopped in your lane, or a
car suddenly pulls out from nowhere,
or
a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these problems by
braking-if you can stop in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room.
That’s the time for evasive action-steering around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your
brakes.
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.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a quick decision.
If
you
are holding the steering wheel at the recommended
9
and
3
o’clock positions,
you can turn it a full
180
degrees very quickly without removing either hand.
But you have
to
act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly straighten the
4-1
9
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