Driving At Night - Chevrolet 2008 T Series Owner's Manual

If you have the Traction Control System (TCS),
remember: It helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-7. If you
do not have this system, or if the system is off, then
an acceleration skid is also best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety,
you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your
best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed by shifting to a lower
gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow
on the road to make a mirrored surface — and slow
down when you have any doubt.
If you have the Antilock Brake System (ABS),
remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you
do not have ABS, then in a braking skid, where the
wheels are no longer rolling, release enough pressure
on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This
restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down
steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as
the wheels are rolling, you will have steering control.
4-12

Driving at Night

Night driving is more dangerous than day driving
because some drivers are likely to be impaired — by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
Night driving tips include:
•
Drive defensively.
•
Do not drink and drive.
•
Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
•
Slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles because your headlamps can only
light up so much road ahead.
•
Watch for animals.
•
When tired, pull off the road.
•
Do not wear sunglasses.
•
Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps.
•
Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out.
•
Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or
curves.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But, as we get older, these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver might need at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.