Search by Title only
Home > Driving your vehicle > Manual transmission > Good driving practices

Good driving practices

  • Never take the vehicle out of gear and coast down a hill. This is extremely hazardous. Always leave the vehicle in gear.

  • Don't "ride" the brakes. This can cause them to overheat and malfunction. Instead, when you are driving down a long hill, shift to a lower gear.When you do this, engine braking will help slow down the vehicle.

  • Slow down before shifting to a lower gear. This will help avoid over-revving the engine, which can cause damage.

  • Slow down when you encounter cross winds. This gives you much better control of your vehicle.

  • Be sure the vehicle is completely stopped before you attempt to shift into reverse. The transmission can be damaged if you do not.

  • Exercise extreme caution when driving on a slippery surface. Be especially careful when braking, accelerating or shifting gears. On a slippery surface, an abrupt change in vehicle speed can cause the drive wheels to lose traction and the vehicle to go out of control.

WARNING
  • Always buckle-up! In a collision, an unbelted occupant is significantly more likely to be seriously injured or killed than a properly belted occupant.

  • Avoid high speeds when cornering or turning.

  • Do not make quick steering wheel movements, such as sharp lane changes or fast, sharp turns.

  • The risk of rollover is greatly increased if you lose control of your vehicle at highway speeds.

  • Loss of control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off the roadway and the driver oversteers to reenter the roadway.

  • In the event your vehicle leaves the roadway, do not steer sharply. Instead, slow down before pulling back into the travel lanes.

  • Never exceed posted speed limits.