Owner's Manual

Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than bralung. For example, you come over
a
hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you.
You
can
avoid these problems by braking
--
if you can stop in
time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room.
That’s the time for evasive action
--
steering around
the problem.
Your Corvette can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. (See “Braking in
Emergencies” earlier in
this
section.)
It
is better to
remove as much speed as you can from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or
right depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If
you
are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9
and
3
o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full
180
degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But
you
have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once
you
have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations
are
always
possible is
a
good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.
4-11