GMC 2007 Sierra 1500 Pickup Owner's Manual page 378

Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
It is a good idea to practice in an area that is
safe and close to home before you go into
the wilderness. Off-road driving does require
some new and different driving skills. Here is
what we mean.
Tune your senses to different kinds of signals.
Your eyes, for example, need to constantly sweep
the terrain for unexpected obstacles. Your ears
need to listen for unusual tire or engine sounds.
With your arms, hands, feet, and body, you
will need to respond to vibrations and vehicle
bounce.
Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful
off-road driving. One of the best ways to
control your vehicle is to control your speed.
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Here are some things to keep in mind. At higher
speeds:
•
You approach things faster and you have less
time to scan the terrain for obstacles.
•
You have less time to react.
•
You have more vehicle bounce when you
drive over obstacles.
•
You will need more distance for braking,
especially since you are on an unpaved
surface.
CAUTION:
{
When you are driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction can easily
throw you out of position. This could cause
you to lose control and crash. So, whether
you are driving on or off the road, you and
your passengers should wear safety belts.