1993 Oldsmobile Achieva Owner's Manual - Page 155

Skidding In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most skidsby taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and not by "overdriving" those conditions. But skids are always possible. The three types of skids correspond to your Oldsmobile's three control systems. In the braking skid your wheels aren't rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid too muchthrottle causes the driving wheels to spin. A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal. If your vehicle starts to slide (as whenyou turn a corner on a wet, snow- or ice-covered road), ease your foot off the accelerator pedal as soon as you feel the vehicle start to slide. Quickly steer theway you want the vehicle to go. you start If steering quickly enough, your vehicle will straighten out. As it does, straighten the front wheels. 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 ona surface with reduced traction, try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or braking (including engine brakingby shifting to a lower gear). Any sudden change could cause the tires to slide.You may not realize the surfaceis 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 anydoubt. Remember: Any anti-lock braking system (ABS) helps avoid only the braking skid. 153