Pontiac 1993 Sunbird Owner's Manual page 110

If other cars are lined up to pass a
slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take
care that someone isn't trying to pass
you as you pull out to pass the slow
vehicle. Remember to glance over
your shoulder and check the blind
spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and start your left lane
change signal before moving out of
the right lane to pass. When you are
far enough ahead of the passed
vehicle to see its front in your inside
mirror, activate your right lane change
signal and move back into the right
lane. (Remember that your right
outside mirror is convex. The vehicle
you just passed may seem to be farther
away from you than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle
at a time on two-lane roads.
Reconsider before passing the next
vehicle.
vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
brake lights are not flashing, it may be
slowing down or starting to turn.
Don't overtake a slowly moving
If you're being passed, make it easy
for the following driver to get ahead of
you. Perhaps you can ease a little to
the right.
Loss o f Control
Let's review what driving experts say
about what happens when the three
control systems (brakes, steering and
acceleration) don't have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do
what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don't give up. Keep
trying to steer and constantly seek an
escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of
the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care
suited to existing conditions, and by not
"overdriving" those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to
your Pontiac's three control systems. In
the braking skid your wheels aren't
rolling. In the steering or cornering
slid, too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration
skid too much throttle causes the
driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration
skid are best handled by easing your
foot
off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your
foot off the accelerator pedal and
quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering
quickly enough, your vehicle may
straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid i f it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced whim
water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material is on the road. For safety,
you'll 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