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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.
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. (See "Braking in Emergencies" earlier in this section.) 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 wheel once you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always possible is a good reason
to practice defensive driving at all times and wear safety belts properly.
4-8
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