Your Driving and the Road
Skidding (CONI)
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 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.
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.
0 Drive defensively.
0 Don’t drink and drive.
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.
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.
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