8-6Off-Road RecoveryThe vehicle's right wheels (if drivingin an area with right hand rule ofroad) or left wheels (if driving in anarea with left hand rule of road) candrop off the edge of a road onto theshoulder while driving.If the level of the shoulder is onlyslightly below the pavement,recovery should be fairly easy. Easeoff the accelerator and then, if thereis nothing in the way, steer so thatthe vehicle straddles the edge of thepavement. Turn the steering wheel 8to 13 cm (3 to 5 inches), aboutone-eighth turn, until the front tirecontacts the pavement edge. Thenturn the steering wheel to go straightdown the roadway.Loss of ControlLet us review what driving expertssay about what happens when thethree control systems — brakes,steering, and acceleration — do nothave enough friction where the tiresmeet the road to do what the driverhas asked.In any emergency, do not give up.Keep trying to steer and constantlyseek an escape route or area of lessdanger.SkiddingIn a skid, a driver can lose control ofthe vehicle. Defensive drivers avoidmost skids by taking reasonable caresuited to existing conditions, and bynot overdriving those conditions. Butskids are always possible.The three types of skids correspondto the vehicle's three controlsystems. In the braking skid, thewheels are not rolling. In the steeringor cornering skid, too much speed orsteering in a curve causes tires toslip and lose cornering force. And inthe acceleration skid, too muchthrottle causes the driving wheels tospin.If the vehicle starts to slide, easeyour foot off the accelerator pedaland quickly steer the way you wantthe vehicle to go. If you start steeringquickly enough, the vehicle maystraighten out. Always be ready for asecond skid if it occurs.srx.book Page 6 Monday, June 8, 2009 8:28 AM
