Driving At Night - Maserati Quattroporte Automatic 2009 Owner's Manual

M139_UM_usa1.book Page 175 Monday, September 1, 2008 2:39 PM
Travelling
– The first rule for safe driving is
caution. Being careful also means
being in a position to be able to
predict driving behaviour of other
drivers, that may be wrong or
careless.
– Keep a safe distance from vehicles in
front of you, adjusting this distance
in accordance to the vehicle speed
and traffic conditions.
– Strictly follow traffic regulations and
above all, stay within the speed
limits.
– Long trips should be undertaken in
optimal physical condition.
Drunk driving, or driving
under the influence of drugs
or certain medicines is
extremely dangerous for the driver
and for others.
Always fasten your seat belts,
including any child seats.
Travelling without your seat
belt fastened significantly increases
the risk of serious injury in the event
of a collision.
– Do not drive for too many hours at a
time. Make frequent stops to stretch
your legs and refresh yourself.
– Ensure that the air inside the
passenger compartment is refreshed
constantly.
– Never coast downhill with the
engine switched off: the braking
action requires greater effort on the
pedal due to the absence of the
engine brake and of the brake servo.

Driving at night

The main guidelines to follow when
driving at night are set out below:
– Drive with particular caution: at
night, driving conditions are more
demanding.
– Reduce your speed, especially on
roads with no streetlights.
– At the first signs of drowsiness stop:
to continue driving would be a risk
for yourself and for others. Proceed
only after you have had a rest.
– Keep the vehicle at a greater
distance from vehicles in front of you
than you would use during the day:
it is difficult to assess the speed of
other vehicles when you can only see
the lights.
– Check that the headlights are aimed
correctly: if they are too low, they
reduce visibility and strain the eyes.
If they are too high, they may bother
the drivers of other vehicles.
– Use the high beams only outside of
densely-populated areas and when
you are sure that they will not
disturb other drivers.
– When another vehicle is
approaching, switch from high
beams (if on) to low beams.
– Keep lights and headlights clean.
– Outside of densely-populated areas,
beware of animals crossing the road.
Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads are dangerous. On
a wet road all the maneuvers are more
difficult since wheel grip on the
asphalt is significantly reduced. This
means that the braking distances
increase considerably and the road
holding decreases.
Below you will find some advice for
driving in the rain:
– Reduce your speed and keep a
greater safety distance from the
vehicles in front of you. High speed
may result in a loss of control due to
aquaplaning.
Driving conditions
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