1995 BUICK REGAL Owners Manual

Driving in the Rain 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.
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.
4-15
ProCarManuals.com

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.
I . .. . .
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build LIP
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 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
0
0
0
Turn on your low-beam headlamps -- not just your
parking
lamps -- 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.
Have good tires
with proper tread depth. (See
“Tires”
in the Index.)
ProCarManuals.com

City Driving
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:
0
0
0
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 part, “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.
4-17
ProCarManuals.com

Freeway Driving 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.
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.
Mile for mile, freeways
(also called thruways, parkways, Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly Over your
eXpreSSWayS, turnpikes, Or superhighways) are the Safest
shoulder to make Sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
of all roads. But they have their own special rules. “blind” spot.
4-18 -
ProCarManuals.com

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 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
Buick dealers 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:
0
0
0
0
0
0
Windshield Wc~slwr Fluid: Is the reservoir full‘? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Eqirze Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels‘?
Lamps: 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 Fowcvzsrs: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip
a short
time to avoid a major storm system‘?
A4up.s: Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-19
ProCarManuals.com

Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway
hypnosis”? Or is
it just plain fdling 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.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving
in flat or rolling terrain.
4-20
ProCarManuals.com

If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transaxle. These parts can work hard
on mountain
roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine
do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long
hill.
A CAUTION:
If you don’t shift down, your brakes eould get so
0
0
0
0
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.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There
could be something
in your lane, like a stalled car
or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area, or winding
roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
ProCarManuals.com

Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your Buick in good shape for winter. Be sure
0 You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your
engine coolant
mix is correct.
your trunk. Include
an ice scraper, a small brush or broom,
a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth,
and a
couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet
or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
4-22
ProCarManuals.com