Starting and Operating Instructions
. . . 266
Driving in Mud, Sand,
Snow or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow,
ice or sand, your wheels won’t
get good traction. You can’t
accelerate as quickly, turning is
more difficult, and you’ll need
longer braking distances.
It’s best to use a low gear when
you’re in mud - the deeper the
mud, the lower the gear. In really
deep mud, the idea is to keep your
vehicle moving so you don’t get
stuck.
When you drive on sand, you'll
sense a change in wheel traction.
This will depend, however, upon
how loosely packed the sand is.
On loosely packed sand (as on
beaches or sand dunes) your tires
will tend to sink into the sand. This
has an effect on steering, acceler-
ating and braking.
Drive at a reduced speed.
If at all possible, avoid sharp turns
or abrupt maneuvers.
Hard packed snow and ice offer
the worst tire traction. On these
surfaces, it’s very easy to lose
control. On wet ice, for example,
the traction is so poor that you will
have difficulty accelerating. And if
you do get moving, poor steering
and difficult braking can cause you
to slide out of control.
CAUTION
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds
or rivers can be dangerous.
Underwater springs, currents
under the ice, or sudden thaws
can weaken the ice. Your
vehicle could fall through
the ice and you and your
passengers could drown. Drive
your vehicle on safe surfaces
only.
$10araEscaladeEXT Page 266 Wednesday, October 14, 2009 9:54 AM
