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Driving and Operating 8-9
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under your vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.
Allow extra following distance.
.
Pass with caution.
.
Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.
Keep the windshield washer
fluid reservoir filled.
.
Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires
on
page 9‑58
.
.
Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park your vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.
Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.
Keep interior temperature cool.
.
Keep your eyes moving — scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.
Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.
Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.
Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.
Going down steep or long hills,
shift to a lower gear.
{
WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.