1997 GMC JIMMY Owner's Manual

4-4

Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness and
judgment
can be affected even a small amount
of alcohol.
You can have a serious -- or even
fatal
-- collision 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.
4-5

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.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That’s
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 314 of a second. But
that’s only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in
314 of a second, a vehicle
moving at
60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency,
so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement or
gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight
of the
vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.

Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
If there’s ;1 problem with the
anti-lock
brake system. this
warning light
will stay on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light”
in
the Index.
4-7

The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster
than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and
road conditions. I
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet.
You‘re driving safely. Suddenly
an animal jumps out in
front of you.
You slam
on the brakes. Here’s what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at the
rear wheels. You
can steer
around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake. your colnputer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
4-8

Braking in Emergencies
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning. you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
4-9

Suppose you're steering througl1 a shxp CLII-V~. Tllen you
suddenly accelemtc.
Both control systems -- steering and
acceleration
-- have to do their work where the tires meet
the road. Adding the sudden acceleration cim ciemand too
much of those places. You can lose control.
What sho~~ld you do
if this ever happens'! Ease LIP on the
accelerator pedal. steer the vehicle the way you want it
to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near CLI~V~S warn that ~OLI shoulcl
adjust your speed. Of co~~rse. 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 yo111- speed as you approach a
curve, do it before ~OLI enter the curve7 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.
Steering in Emergencies
4-10

An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If yo^^ are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions. you can
turn
it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand.
But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just
as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that
SLICII emergency situations are always
possible is
a good rwson to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
I OFF- ROAD RECOVERY / ,+
-/// edge of paved surface
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pwement, recovery should
be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in the way, steer so
that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. YOLI
can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn until the
right front
tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your
steering wheel
to go straight down the roadway.
4-11