KIA Sportage 2005 - Manual (Page 233)

Driving tips
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Getting familiar with off-road driv-
ing
It’s necessary for you to practice in
an area that’s safe and close to
home before you begin serious off-
road driving.
Off-road driving
requires new and different driving
skills.
You need to tune your senses to dif-
ferent kinds of signals. For example,
constantly sweep the terrain with
your eyes looking for unexpected
obstacles. Listen for unusual tire,
gear, or engine sounds. Feel and
respond to the vibrations of the vehi-
cle with your hands, feet, and body
while still carefully controlling your
vehicle. You’ll also need to adjust
your expectations and greatly lower
the number of miles you expect to
cover in an hour or a day.
Controlling your vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control your vehicle
is to control your speed. Here are
some things to keep in mind when
traveling at higher speeds:
• You approach things faster and you
have less time to scan the terrain
for obstacles.
• You have less time to react.
• You have much more vehicle
bounce when you drive over obsta-
cles, giving you less vehicle con-
trol.
• You’ll need more distance for brak-
ing, especially since you’re on an
unpaved surface. Such terrain will
always be more “slippery” than a
paved road.
WARNING - Off road driv-
ing
When you’re driving off-road,
bouncing and quick changes in
direction can easily throw you
out of position. This could
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and crash. So, whether
you are driving on or off the
road, you and your passengers
should always wear safety belts.
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