
Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a national tragedy. It is the number one contributor
to the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive
a vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Attentiveness.
Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was
drinking and driving. In recent years, more than
16,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been
associated with the use of alcohol, with more than
300,000 people injured.Many adults — by some estimates, nearly half the adult
population — choose never to drink alcohol, so they
never drive after drinking. For persons under 21,
it is against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological and
developmental reasons for these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol
and then drive. But what if people do? How much is
“too much” if someone plans to drive? It is a lot less than
many might think. Although it depends on each person
and situation, here is some general information on
the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone
who is drinking depends upon four things:
The amount of alcohol consumed
The drinker’s body weight
The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking
The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol.
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Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It is much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here is what to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.
Shift to PARK (P) (or to neutral with the manual
transmission) and, while still braking, restart the
engine.
Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.
If the engine will not start, get out and get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across
the incline of a hill. If this happens, you have to
decide whether to try to drive across the incline.
Here are some things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be
too steep to drive across. When you go straight up
or down a hill, the length of the wheel base
(the distance from the front wheels to the rear
wheels) reduces the likelihood the vehicle
will tumble end over end. But when you drive
across an incline, the much more narrow track width
(the distance between the left and right wheels)
may not prevent the vehicle from tilting and rolling
over. Also, driving across an incline puts more
weight on the downhill wheels. This could cause a
downhill slide or a rollover.
Surface conditions can be a problem when you
drive across a hill. Loose gravel, muddy spots,
or even wet grass can cause your tires to slip
sideways, downhill. If the vehicle slips sideways,
it can hit something that will trip it (a rock, a rut, etc.)
and roll over.
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Two-Tiered Loading
By positioning four 2” X 6” wooden planks across the
width of the pickup box, you can create an upper
load platform. The planks must be inserted in the pickup
box depressions. The length of the planks must allow
for at least a 3/4 inch (2 cm) bearing surface on
each end of the plank.
When using this upper load platform, be sure the load is
securely tied down to prevent it from shifting. The load’s
center of gravity should be positioned in a zone over
the rear axle.
Any load that extends beyond the vehicle’s taillamp
area must be properly marked according to local laws
and regulations.
Remember not to exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) of the rear axle.
Add-On Equipment
When you carry removable items, you may need to put
a limit on how many people you carry inside your
vehicle. Be sure to weigh your vehicle before you buy
and install the new equipment.
Notice:Overloading your vehicle may cause
damage. Repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Do not overload your vehicle.
Remember not to exceed the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) of the rear axle.
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Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least
twice a year for wear and cracking. See “Wiper
Blade Check” underCleaning the Outside of Your
Vehicle on page 5-98for more information.
Replacement blades come in different types and are
removed in different ways. For proper type and length,
seeNormal Maintenance Replacement Parts on
page 6-15.
Notice:Allowing the wiper blade arm to touch
the windshield when no wiper blade is installed
could damage the windshield. Any damage that
occurs would not be covered by your warranty.
Do not allow the wiper blade arm to touch the
windshield.1. To remove the old wiper blades, lift the wiper arm
until it locks into a vertical position.
A. Blade Assembly
B. Arm Assembly
C. Locking TabD. Blade Pivot
E. Hook Slot
F. Arm Hook
2. Press down on the blade assembly pivot locking
tab. Pull down on the blade assembly to release it
from the wiper arm hook.
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