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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until your 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.
DRIUNG 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.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
0 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.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights can light
up only
so much road ahead.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older
these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice
as much light to
see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night vision. For
example, if you spend the day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear
sunglasses. Your eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if
you’re driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on
glare from headlights, but they also make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights. It can take a
second or two, or even several seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the
dark. When you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’t
lower the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlights), slow down
a little. Avoid staring directly into the approaching lights.
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. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would, making the pupils
of
your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road y ou 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 make it harder to see road
signs and traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road, and
even people walking.
It’s wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape and keep your
windshield washer tank filled. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs
of streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or
when strips
of rubber start to separate from the inserts.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going through some
car washes can cause problems, too. The water may affect your brakes.
Try to avoid puddles. But if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit
them.
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.
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
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlights -- not just your parking lights -- to
help make you more visible to others.
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.
0 Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)
CITYDWNG
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine One of the biggest problems with city streets is the amount of traffic on
them. You’ll want to watch out for what the other drivers are doing and
pay attention
to traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
a
a
a
Know the best way to get to where you are going. Get a city map and
plan your trip into
an unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You’ll
save time and energy. (See the next section, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal.
A traffic light is there because
the corner is busy enough to need it. When a light turns green, and
just before you start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have
not cleared the intersection or may be running the red light.
FREEWAYDmNG
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways, expressways,
turnpikes, or superhighways) are the safest of all roads. But they have
their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and
keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most of the other drivers are
driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat
the left lane on a freeway as a passing lane.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Try to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing
speed. Switch on your turn signal, check your mirrors and glance over
your shoulder as often as necessary.
Try to blend smoothly with the traffic
flow.
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.
Before changing lanes, check your 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.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a
reasonable following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane well in
advance.
If you miss your exit do not, under any circumstances, stop and
back up. Drive on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of
motion. After driving for any distance at higher speeds, you may tend to
think you are going slower than you actually are.
BEFORE LEAVING ONA LONG THP
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
Cadillac dealerships all across North America. They’ll be ready and
willing to help
if you need it.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Here are some things you can check before a trip:
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0
0
0
0
e
0
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:
Are they in good shape?
Fuel. Engine Oil, Other Fluids; Have you checked all levels?
Lichts:
Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free trip.
Is the
tread good enough for long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated
to the recommended pressure?
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?
HIGmAY HITNOSIS
Is thh 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 and your instruments frequently.
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.
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