Table of Contents
Advertisement
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 quicMy straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice d'efensive driving at
all times and
wear
safety belts properly.
4-12
Advertisement
Table of Contents
