lights GMC SIERRA 1993 Owner's Manual

Pavement Markings
NO PASSING ZONE
AM40201 6
Pavement markings add to traffic signs and signals. They give information to
drivers without taking attention from the roadway. A solid yellow line on your
side
of the road or lane means “don’t cross.”
Your Own Signals
Drivers signal to others, too. It’s not only more polite, it’s safer to let other
drivers know what you are doing. And in some places the law requires driver
signals.
Turn and lane change signals: Always signal when you plan to turn or
change lanes.
If necessary, you can use hand signals out the window: Left arm \
straight out
for a left turn, down for
slow or about-to-stop, and up for a right turn.
Slowing down: If time allows, tap the brake pedal once or twice in advance
of slowing or stopping. This warns the driver behind you.
Disabled: Your four-way flashers signal that your vehicle is disabled or is a
hazard. See “Hazard Warning Flasher” in the Index.
Traffic Officer
The traffic police officer is also a source of important informaaon. The officer’s
signals govern, no matter what the traffic lights or other sig\
ns say.
The next part discusses some of the road conditions you may e\
ncounter.
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Your Driving and the Road
Steering Tips Driving
on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news \
happen on
curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws
of
physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road
surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels.
If there’s no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in
the same direction.
If you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on me condition of your tires
and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked,\
and your
speed. While you’re in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then you sudd\
enly apply the
brakes. Both control systems-steering and braking-have to
do their work
where the tires meet the road. Adding the hard braking can de\
mand too
much at those places. You can lose control.
The same thing can happen
if you’re steering through a sharp curve and you
suddenly accelerate. Those two control systems-steering and
acceleration-can overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road and
make you lose control.
What should you
do if this ever happens? Let up on the brake or accelerator
pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it to
go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust your\
speed. Of
course, 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 your speed as you approach a curve, do it before you
enter the curve, 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.
When you drive into a curve at night, it’s harder
to see the road ahead of
you because it bends away from the straight beams
of your lights. This is
one good reason to drive slower.
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Your Driving and the Road
the right lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror is c\
onvex. The
vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you \
than
it
really is).
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
Reconsider before passing the next vehicle.
brake lights are not flashing, it may be slowing down
or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you can ease a little
to the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens whe\
n the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t ha\
ve enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steel+-, arid constantly seek an
escape route
or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care suited
to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possib\
le.
The three types
of skids correspond to your vehicle’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 much throttle\
causes the
driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best handled by ea\
sing your
foot
off the accelerator pedal. If your vehicle starts to slide (as when you 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 sl\
ide. Quickly steer
the way you want the vehicle
to go. If you start 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 limit\
ed.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try your best to avoid
sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking (including engine braking by shifting
to a lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slid\
e. You
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Your Driving and the Road
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s more \
discussion of
Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly? these subjects later.)
When you drive over obstacles
or rough terrain, keep a firm grip on the
steering wheel. Ruts, troughs, or other surface features can jerk the wheel
out of your hands
if you’re not prepared.
When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles, your whe\
els can leave
the ground.
If this happens, even with one or two wheels, you can’t contro\
l
the vehicle as well
or at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it’s especially \
important
to avoid
sudden acceleration, sudden turns,
or sudden braking.
In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of alertness from driving on
paved roads and highways. There are no road signs, posted spee\
d limits
or
signal lights. You have to use your own good judgment about what is safe
and what isn’t.
* Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road. And this is I
1 certainly true for off-road driving. At the very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your reflexes, perceptions and jud\
gment
can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You could have
a serious-or even fatal-accident
if you drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking. (See “Drunken Driving”
in the
Index.)
Driving On Off-Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up, down, or across a hill. Driving safely on
hills requires good judgment and an understanding of what your vehicle can
and can’t do. There are some hills that simply can’t be \
driven, no matter how
well built the vehicle.
A, Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle. If you drive up them,
- IOU will stall. If you drive down them, you can’t control your speed. If
you drive across them, you will roll over. You could be seriously
injured or killed.
If you have any doubt about the steepness, don’t
drive the hill.
I I
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Your Driving and the Road
A Turning or driving across steep hills can be dangerous. You could
lose traction, slide sideways, and possibly roll over. You could be
seriously injured or
I 'I' ?d. When driving up hills, always try to go
I straight up.
Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of the hill.
Attach a flag to the vehicle to make you more visible to approaching
traffic on trails or hills.
Sound the horn as you approach the top of hill to let opposing traffic
know you're there.
Use your headlights even during the day. They make you more visible to
oncoming traffic.
I A Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can muse an
accident.
There could be a drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You buld be seriously injured or killed. .As you near
the
top of a hill, slow down and stay alert. I
Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and I can't
make it
up the hill?
A: If this happens, there are some things you should do, and there are some
things
you must not do. First, here's what you should do:
0
0
0
0
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it from rolling
backwards.
Also, apply the parking brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the transmission into reverse, release
the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in reverse.
If your engine has stopped running, you'll need to restart it. With the
brake pedal depressed and the parking brake still applied, shift the
transmission to
P (Park) (or, shift to N (Neutral) if your vehicle has a
manual transmission) and restart the engine. Then, shift to Reverse,
release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in reverse.
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand on the ste\
ering
wheel at the
12 o'clock position. This way, you'll be able to tell if your
wheels are straight or turned to the left or right as you back down.
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Your Driving and the Road
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the underbody\
, chassis, or
under the hood. These accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings cleaned\
and checked. These substances can cause glazing and uneven braking. Check th\
e body
structure, steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust syste\
m for damage.
Also, check the fuel lines and cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due
to off-road use. Refer to
Section
7 for additional information.
Driving at Night
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- AM450002 I
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some
drivers are likely
to be impaired-by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively. Remember, this is the most dangerous time.
Don’t drink and drive (See “Drunken Driving” in the Index for more on
this problem).
Adjust your inside rear view mirror to reduce the glare from headlights
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep
behind
you.
more space between you and other vehicles. It’s hard
to tell how fast
the vehicle ahead is going just
by looking at its taillights.
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Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights ca\
n light
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
up only
so much road ahead.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as
in the daytime. But as we get older
these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night vision.\
For example, if
you spend the day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your
eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night.
But if you’re driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. Th\
ey may cut down on
glare from headlights, but they also make a lot of things inv\
isible that should
remain visible-such as parked cars, obstacles, pedestrians, or e\
ven trains
blocking railway crossings. You may want
to put on your sunglasses after you
have pulled into a brightly-lighted service or refreshment area.\
Eyes shielded
from that glare may adjust more quickly to darkness back on t\
he road. But
be sure to remove your sunglasses before you leave the service\
area.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights.
It can take a second or
two, or even several seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’\
t lower the high
beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlights), slow down a little. Avoid\

staring directly into the approaching lights. If there is a line of opposing
traffic, make occasional glances over the line of headlights to make certain
that one of the vehicles isn’t starting to move into your lane. Once you are
past the bright lights, give your eyes time to readjust before\
resuming speed.
High Beams
If the vehicle approaching you has its high beams on, signal by \
flicking yours
to high and then back to low beam. This is the usual signal to lower the
headlight beams.
If the other driver still doesn’t lower the beams, resist the
temptation to put your high beams on. This only makes
two half-blinded
drivers.
On a freeway, use your high beams only in remote areas where \
you won’t impair approaching drivers. In some places, like cities, using \
high beams is
illegal.
When you follow another vehicle on a freeway or highway, use \
low beams.
True, most vehicles now have day-night mirrors that enable the \
driver to
reduce glare. But outside mirrors are not
of this type and high beams from
behind can bother the driver ahead.
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Your Driving and the Road
A Few More Night Driving Suggestions
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle clean-i\
nside and out.
Glare at night is made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even\
the inside
of
the glass can build up a film caused by dust. Tobacco smoke \
also makes inside glass surfaces very filmy and can be a vision hazard
if it’s left there.
Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and flash more than clean glas\
s would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly. You might even want to
keep a cloth and some glass cleaner in your vehicle
if you need to clean
your glass frequently.
Remember that your headlights light up far less of a roadway \
when you are
in a turn or curve.
Keep your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out d\
imly lighted objects.
Just as your headlights should be checked regularly for proper \
aim,
so should
your eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night\
blindness-the inability to see in dim light-and aren’t even aware of
it.
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road y\
ou can’t stop,
accelerate or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction i\
sn’t as
good as
on
dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get even
less traction.
It’s always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while you
are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your reflex\
es are tuned
for driving on
dry pavement.
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Your Driving and the Road
You might not be aware of hydroplaning. You could drive along for some time
without realizing your tires aren’t in constant contact with \
the road. You could
find out the hard way: when you have to slow, turn, move out to pass-or
if
you get hit by a gust of wind. You could suddenly find yourself out of control.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can
if your tires haven’t much tread
or if the pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is
standing
on the road. If you can see reflections from trees, telephone poles,
or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the water’s surfa\
ce, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens on higher speed roads. There just \
isn’t a hard
and fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow \
down when it is
raining, and be careful.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
e
e
e
e
e
Turn on your headlights-not just your parking lights-to help ma\
ke you more visible to others.
Look for hard-to-see vehicles coming from behind. You may want to use
your headlights even in daytime
if it’s raining hard.
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following distance. And \
be
especially careful when you pass another vehicle.
Allow yourself more
clear
room ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted by road
spray.
If the road spray is so heavy you are actually blinded, drop back.
Don’t pass until conditions improve. Going more slowly is be\
tter than
having an accident.
Use your defogger
if it helps.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in\
the Index.)
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Driving in Fog, Mist and Haze
AM459002
Fog can occur with high humidity or heavy frost. It can be so mild that you
can see through it for several hundred feet (meters). Or it might be
so thick
that you can see only a few feet (meters) ahead.
It may come suddenly to
an otherwise clear road. And it can be a major hazard.
When you drive into a fog patch, your visibility will be reduced quickly. The
biggest dangers are striking the vehicle ahead or being struck \
by the one
behind.
Try to “read” the fog density down the road. If the vehicle ahead
starts to become
less clear or, at night, if the taillights are harder to see, the
fog is probably thickening. Slow down to give traffic behind you a chance to
slow down. Everybody then has a better chance to avoid hitting the vehicle
ahead.
A patch of dense fog may extend only for a few feet (meters) or for miles
(kilometers); you can’t really tell while you’re in it. You can only treat the
situation with extreme care.
One common fog condition-sometimes called mist or ground fog-can
happen in weather that seems perfect, especially at night or i\
n the early
morning
in valley and low, marshy areas. You can be suddenly enveloped in
thick, wet haze that may even coat your windshield. You can often spot t\
hese
fog patches or mist layers with your headlights. But sometimes \
they can be waiting for you as you come over a hill or dip into a shallow valley. Start
your windshield wipers and washer, to help clear accumulated ro\
ad dirt.
Slow
down carefully.
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