DRIVING DANGEROUS

Q. It seems like more people are running red lights today. How can I protect myself from them?
A.By never assuming a green light means all okay. There's little consolation in knowing an accident isn't your fault just because you had the right of way. Your car is still damaged, and someone may be hurt. Even though you were in the right, perhaps you could have actually avoided the collision simply by looking before you leap. If your light is green, make sure other drivers, at or near the intersection, aren't trying to beat the yellow, or red. If you're at an intersection without a light, look left, right, and left again before moving out.
Q. Blowouts are scary. Should I just slam on the brakes?
A.No. If you slam on the brakes you could lose control completely. If a front tire blows, the car will pull hard to the side of the blowout. The steering wheel vibrates like crazy. Hang on tight with your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions on the steering wheel. Take your foot off the gas and concentrate on staying in your lane. Then slow down gradually and pull off the road to a safe location. If a rear tire blows, the back of the car will weave back and forth and vibrate. But you should handle it the same way.
Q. How do I get out of a skid?
A.A lot of people hit the brakes hard when their car starts to skid. That generally makes things worse. Just take your foot off the gas and turn your steering wheel in the direction you want the front of the car to go. This helps straighten out the car and often regains traction. Frequently it takes more than one turn of the steering wheel to correct a skid.
Q. If my car goes into deep water, what's the best way out?
A.While this doesn't happen often, it happens enough that you should know what to do. If you do go in the water, release your safety belt immediately. (But don't release it before you go in. The safety belt will help protect you during impact with the water.) Then the best thing to do is to try to get out quickly through the window, because power windows can short-circuit in the water. If you can't get out through the window, try the door. At first, the water pressure will probably hold it closed. But don't panic. As the water rises, it will equalize the pressure and the door should open.
Q. What if my brakes just go out. What then?
A.You must think and act quickly. Remember this word sequence: pump pedal, parking brake, shift down, safe place.

In an emergency, the quicker you think and act, the safer you'll be.

Q. The Vampire Rule
A.Another place to check to see if you're in someone's blind spot is her outside mirror. If you can't see the driver's face, chances are she can't see you.
Q. What if the accelerator sticks?
A.Try pulling it up with the toe of your shoe. If a passenger is with you, have him reach down and pull it up. You should not take your eyes off the road to reach down yourself. If your car has a manual transmission, press down on the clutch. The engine will continue to race, but you can then pull safely off the road. If it's an automatic transmission, put it in neutral. It's not a good idea to turn off the key. Some cars will lose power steering or even lock the steering wheel.
Q. I saw a hood fly open on a car on the freeway. What then? A.The driver needs to stop, but if he slams on his brakes, he could be hit from behind. In some cars, from behind the wheel you can actually see ahead by peeking through the opening between the dashboard and the hood. If not, then lean out the window to see what's ahead of you. In either case, you need to slow down smoothly and pull off the road.
Q. Suppose another car's coming right at me . . . what should I do?
A.Right is often the right way. Try to escape to the right if possible. Almost anything is better than a head-on collision. But if you move to the left, the oncoming driver might correct at the last minute and turn back in the direction you've just gone. While you're moving to the right, blow your horn. And if you can't avoid a collision, brake firmly and steadily. Every mile per hour you slow down will reduce the impact.
Q. What about Antilock Braking Systems?
A.ABS is basically a conventional braking system that is helped by computer technology. Sensors in each wheel let the computer know if all the wheels are turning at the same speed. The computer reads the data and, if needed, activates a solenoid valve so more or less force can be applied to help the car stop more evenly. If each wheel is not stopping with equal force, often a car can go into a spin. Or the driver can lose control. Under normal conditions, the antilock system will not be activated. However, should the braking force exceed the available adhesion between the tires and the road surface, the system will automatically activate. This will be recognizable by a rapid pulsation felt through the brake pedal. You should not pump the brake pedal at any time on an ABS system. Pumping could interrupt operation and actually increase stopping distance
Q. Cars seem to pull over in front of me for no reason. Can I do anything about that?
A.Virtually all cars have "blind spots," spots where it's difficult to see cars close behind them to the left or right. To tell if you're driving in someone's blind spot, just glance at his rearview mirror. If you can't see his face, assume he can't see you. Move forward or fall back so he can see you. There are probably blind spots in your car too. That's why it's always safer to quickly turn to visually check for other vehicles traveling in lanes next to yours before you pull over.
 

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