Drunken Driving - Suzuki 2008 XL7 Owner's Manual

DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means "always expect
the unexpected." The first step in driving
defensively is to wear your safety belt –
Refer to "Safety Belts: They Are for Every-
one" in "Safety Belts" in the "Seats and
Restraint Systems" section.
WARNING
Assume that other
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and other
drivers) are going to be careless and
make mistakes. Anticipate what they
might do and be ready. In addition:
• Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in front
of you.
• Focus on the task of driving.
Driver distraction can cause colli-
sions resulting in injury or possible
death. These simple defensive driv-
ing techniques could save your life.
4-1

Drunken Driving

Drinking and then driving is very dan-
gerous. Your reflexes, perceptions,
attentiveness, and judgment can be
affected by even a small amount of
alcohol. You can have a serious – or
even fatal – collision if you drive after
drinking. Do not drink and drive or
ride with a driver who has been drink-
ing. Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver who
road users
will not drink.
Death and injury associated with drinking
and driving is a global tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone
needs to drive a vehicle: judgment, muscu-
lar coordination, vision, and attentiveness.
Police records show that almost 40 percent
of all motor vehicle-related deaths involve
alcohol. In most cases, these deaths are
the result of someone who was drinking
and driving. In recent years, more than
17,000
deaths have been associated with the use
of alcohol, with about 250,000 people
injured.
For persons under 21, it is against the law
in every U.S. state to drink alcohol. There
are good medical, psychological, and
developmental reasons for these laws.
WARNING
annual motor vehicle-related
The obvious way to eliminate the leading
highway safety problem is for people never
to drink alcohol and then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a
person's system can make crash injuries
worse, especially injuries to the brain, spi-
nal cord, or heart. This means that when
anyone who has been drinking – driver or
passenger – is in a crash, that person's
chance of being killed or permanently dis-
abled is higher than if the person had not
been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control
your vehicle while driving – brakes, steer-
ing, and accelerator. At times, as when
driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask
more of those control systems than the
tires and road can provide. Meaning, you
can lose control of your vehicle.
Adding non-Suzuki accessories can affect
your vehicle's performance. Refer to
"Accessories and Modifications" in "Ser-
vice" in the "Service and Appearance
Care" section.
Braking
Refer to "Brake System Warning Light" in
"Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators" in
the "Instrument Panel" section.
Braking action involves perception time
and reaction time.