1993 PONTIAC GRAND-PRIX tires

“I’ll be careful” isn’t the right answer.
What if there’s an emergency, a need to
take sudden action, as when
a child
darts into the street? A person with a
higher BAC might not be able to react
quickly enough to avoid the collision.
There’s something else about drinking
and driving that many people don’t
know. Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person’s system can make
crash injuries worse. That’s especially
true for brain, spinal cord and heart
injuries. That means that if anyone whc
has been drinking-driver or
passenger-is in a crash, the chance of
being killed or permanently disabled is
higher than if that person had not been
drinking. And we’ve already seen that the
chance of a crash itself is higher for
drinking drivers.
LAU I IUN
A Drinking and then driving is
reflexes, perceptions, and judgment
can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You could have
a serious-or even fatal-accident
if you drive after drinking. Please
don’t drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking. Ride
home in
a cab; or if you’re with a
group, designate a driver who will
not drink.
3 very dangerous. Your
I
L
P
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your
vehicle
go where you want it to go.
They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have
to do their work at the places where the
tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving
on
snow or ice, it’s easy to ask more of
those control systems than the tires and
road can provide. That means
you can
lose control
of your vehicle.
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Your Driving and the Road
Steering Tips-Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a
reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control”
accidents mentioned on the news
happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of
us
is subject to the same laws of physics
when driving on curves. The traction of
the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its
path when you turn the front wheels. If
there’s
no traction, inertia will keep the
vehicle going in the same direction. If
you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle
on
wet ice, you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve
depends on the condition
of your tires
and the road surface, the angle at which
the curve
is banked, and your speed.
While you’re in
a curve, speed is the one
factor you can control.
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Suppose you’re steering through a
sharp curve. Then you suddenly apply
the brakes. Both control systems-
steering and braking-have to do their
work where the tires meet the road.
Unless you have four-wheel anti-lock
brakes, adding the hard braking can
demand too much at those places. You
can lose control.
The same thing can happen
if you’re
steering through a sharp curve and you
suddenly accelerate. Those two control
systems-steering and acceleration-
can overwhelm those places where the
tires meet the road and make you lose
control.
What should you do if this ever
happens? Let up on the brake or
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the
way you want it to go, and slow down. 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.
When you drive into a curve at night,
it’s harder to see the road ahead of you
because it bends away from the straight
beams
of your lights. This is one good
reason to drive slower.
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Your Driving and the Road
LOSS of‘ 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
skid, 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 (as when you turn
a corner
on a wet, snow- or ice-covered
road), ease your foot
off the accelerator
pedal as
soon as you feel the vehicle start to
slide. Quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go.
If you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle
will straighten out.
As it does, straighten
the front wheels.
Of course, traction is reduced when
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
(including engine braking
by shifting to
a lower gear). Any sudden changes
could cause the tires to slide. You may
not realize the surface
is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn to
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A Few More Might Driving
Suggestions
Keep your windshield and all the glass
on your vehicle clean-inside and out.
Glare at night is made much worse by
dirt
on the glass. Even the inside of the
glass can build up a film caused
by dust.
Tobacco smoke
also makes inside glass
surfaces very filmy and
can be a vision
hazard
if it’s left there.
Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and
flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils
of your eyes contract
repeatedly.
You might even want to
keep a cloth
and some glass cleaner in
your vehicle if you need to clean your
glass frequently. Remember
that
pur headlights light up
far less of a roadway when you are in a
turn or curve.
Keep your eyes moving; that way, it’s
easier
to pick out dimly lighted objects.
Just as your headlights should be
checked
regularly for proper aim, so
should your eyes be examined regularly.
Some drivers
suffer from night
blindness-the inability to see in dim
light-and aren’t even aware
of it.
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can mean driving
trouble. On a wet road you can’t stop,
accelerate or turn as well because your
tire-to-road traction isn’t
as good as on
dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have
much tread left, you’ll get even less
traction.
It’s always wise to
go slower and be
cautious if rain starts to fall while you
are driving. The surface may get wet
suddenly when your reflexes are tuned
for driving on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is
to
see. Even if your windshield wiper
blades are in
good shape, a heavy rain
can male it harder to
see road signs and
traffic signals, pavement markings, the
edge
of the road, and even people
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Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much
water can build up under your tires that
they can actually ride on the water. This
can happen if the road is wet enough
and you’re going fast enough. When
your vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little
or no contact with the road.
You might not be aware of
hydroplaning. You could drive along for
some time without realizing your tires
aren’t in constant contact with the road.
You could find out the hard way: when
you have to slow, turn, move out to
pass-or
if you get hit by a gust of wind.
You could suddenly find yourself out of
control. Hydroplaning doesn’t
happen often.
But it can if your tires haven’t much
tread or if the pressure in one or more is
low. It can happen if a lot of water is
standing on the road. If you can see
reflections from trees, telephone poles,
or other vehicles, and raindrops
“dimple” the water’s surface, there
could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher
speeds. There just isn’t a hard and fast
rule about hydroplaning. The best
advice is to slow down when it is
raining, and be careful.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your headlights-not just
your parking lights-to help make you
more visible to others.
Look for hard-to-see vehicles coming
from behind.
You may want to use
your headlights even in daytime if it’s
raining hard.
Besides slowing down, allow some
extra following distance.
And be
especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more
clear room ahead, and be prepared
to
have your view restricted by road
spray. If the road spray is
so heavy
you are actually blinded, drop back.
Don’t pass until conditions improve.
Going more slowly is better than
having an accident.
Use your defogger if it helps.
Have good tires with proper tread
depth. (See the
Index under Tires.)
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Your Driving and the Road
Drkjng a Long Distance
Although most long trips today are
made on freeways, there are still many
made
on regular highways.
Long-distance driving on freeways and
reguIar highways is the same in some
ways. The trip has to be planned and
the vehicle prepared, you drive at
higher-than-city speeds, and there are
longer turns behind the wheel. You’ll
enjoy your trip more if you and your
vehicle are in good shape. Here are
some tips for a successful long trip.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well
rested. If you must start when you’re
not fresh-such as after a day’s work-
don’t plan to make too many miles that
first part of the journey. Wear
comfortable clothing and shoes you can
easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If
you keep it serviced and maintained, it’s
ready to go. If it needs service, have it
done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service
experts in Pontiac dealerships all across
North America. They’ll be ready and
willing to help
if you need it. Here
are some things you can check
before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid Is the
reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
shape?
Have you checked all levels?
lenses clean? safe, trouble-free trip.
Is the tread
good enough for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
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?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
Tires: They are vitally important to a
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
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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 lm) 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.
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
less 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:
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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your Driving and the Road
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HM and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is
different fiom driving in flat or rolling
terrain.
If you drive regularly in step
country, or if you’re planning to visit
there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
* Keep your vehicle in go’od shape.
Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, co’oling system and
transaxle. These
parts can work hard
~n mountain roads.
. K~QW how to go, down hills. The most
important thing
to how is this: let
your engine do some of the slowing
down. Don’t make your brakes do it
an.. Shift to a lower gear when YQU go
down a steep or long hill. That way,
you will slow down without excessive
use of your brakes.
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If you don’t shift down, your
brakes could get
so hot that
they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill.
You
could crash. Shift down to let your
engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
I
A Coasting downhill in
- N (Neutral) or with the
* ignition off is dangerous. Your
akes will have
to do all the work
slowing down. They could get
so
riot that they wouldn’t work well.
You could crash. Always have your
Pngine running and your vehicle in
a-ar when you
go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may
want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears help
cool your engine
and transaxle, and you can climb the
hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving
on two-lane roads in hills or
mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center
of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your own
lane. That way, you won’t be ’ surprised by a vehicle coming toward
you in the same lane.
It takes longer to pass another vehicle
when you’re going uphill. You’ll want
to leave extra room to pass. If a
vehicle is passing you and doesn’t
have enough room, slow down to
make it easier for the other vehicle to
get by.
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