1993 BUICK SKYLARK rear view mirror

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.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking system (ABS) helps avoid only the braking skid. Steer the way you want to
go.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired
--
by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
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0 Drive defensively. Remember, this is the most
dangerous time. Don’t drink and drive. (See “Drunken Driving” in
the Index for more
on this problem.)
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlights behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you and other vehicles. It’s hard to tell how fast the vehicle ahead
is going just by looking at its taillights.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your
headlights can light up only’s0 much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull
off the road in a safe place and
rest.

Entering the Freeway
At the entrance there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to
check traffic. Try to determine where
you expect to
blend with the flow. If traffic is light, you may have no
problem. But if it is heavy, find a gap as you move along
the entering lane and time your approach. Try to merge
into the gap at close to the prevailing speed. Switch on
your turn signal, check your rearview mirrors as you
move along, and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Driving on the Freeway
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate
if it’s slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
If you are on a
two-lane freeway, treat the right lane as the slow lane
and the left lane as the passing lane.
If you are on a three-lane freeway, treat the right lane as
the slower-speed through lane, the middle lane as the
higher-speed through lane, and the left lane as the
passing lane.
Before changing lanes, check your rearview mirrors.
Then use your turn signal. Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
If you are moving from an outside to a center lane on a
freeway having more than two lanes, make sure another vehicle isn’t about to move into the same spot.
Look at
the vehicles two lanes over and watch for telltale signs:
turn signals flashing, an increase in speed, or moving
toward the edge of the lane. Be prepared
to delay your
move.
Once
you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night.
Leaving the Freeway
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. Dashing across lanes at the last
minute is dangerous. If you miss your exit do not, under
any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to the
next exit.
At each exit point is a deceleration lane. Ideally it
should be long enough for you to enter it at freeway
speed (after signaling, of course) and then do your
braking before moving onto the exit ramp.
Unfortunately, not all deceleration lanes are long enough
-- some are too short for all the braking. Decide when to
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Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
On the Road
Unless you are the only driver, it is good to share the
driving task with others. Limit turns behind the wheel to
about
100 miles (160 km) or two hours at a sitting.
Then, either change drivers or stop for some refreshment
like coffee, tea or soft drinks and some limbering up.
But do stop and move around. Eat lightly along the way.
Heavier meals tend to make some people sleepy.
On two-lane highways or undivided multilane highways
that do not have controlled access;you’ll want to watch
for some situations not usually found on freeways.
Examples are: stop signs and signals, shopping centers with direct access to the highway, no passing zones and
school zones, vehicles turning left and right
off the road,
pedestrians, cyclists, parked vehicles, and even animals.
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
I
There is something about an easy stretch of road with the
same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the road,
the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind against
the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it happen
to you!
If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in
than a second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
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Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to
the sides. Check your rearview mirrors frequently and your instruments from time to time.
This can help you
avoid a fixed stare.
Wear good sunglasses in bright light. Glare can cause
drowsiness. But don’t wear sunglasses at night. They will drastically reduce your overall vision at the very
time you need all the seeing power you have.
If you get sleepy, pull
off the road into a rest, service,
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.
As in any driving situation, keep pace with traffic and
allow adequate following distances.
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