Driving Your Mazda; Emergency Maneuvers- Page 171

Driving Your Mazda

5-35

If often may be less risky to strike small
inanimate objects, such as highway
reflectors, with minor damage to your
vehicle rather than attempt a sudden
return to the pavement which could
cause the vehicle to slide sideways out of
control or rollover. Remember, your
safety and the safety of others should be
your primary concern.

J

Emergency Maneuvers

In an unavoidable emergency situation
where a sudden sharp turn must be made,
remember to avoid “over-driving’’ your
vehicle, i.e. turn the steering wheel only
as rapidly and as far as required to avoid
the emergency. Excessive steering will
result in less vehicle control, not more.
Additionally, smooth variations of the
accelerator and/or brake pedal pressure
should be utilized if changes in vehicle
speed are called for. Avoid abrupt steer-
ing, acceleration or braking. Use all
available road surface to return the
vehicle to a safe direction of travel.

In the event of an emergency stop, avoid
skidding the tires and do not attempt any
sharp steering wheel movements.

If the vehicle goes from one type of
surface to another (i.e., from concrete
to gravel) there will be a change in
the way the vehicle responds to a maneu-
ver (steering, acceleration or braking).
Again, avoid these abrupt inputs.