This document provides steps for safely cornering a vehicle. It emphasizes looking far ahead when approaching corners, braking gently to slow the vehicle, placing the car in the optimal lane for visibility and control, turning the steering wheel before entering the corner, and using a 30/30 rule of braking and steering input. Following these steps helps the driver take advantage of traction reserves, identify hazards early, and avoid up to 90% of potential accidents by maintaining control through the physics of cornering. The key advantages are early hazard recognition, a one second warning advantage, avoiding most lifetime accidents, and having extra traction in reserve for emergencies.

1. Keep These In Mind Daily !
• What’s the Essential Question we
are studying Today ? It’s Always Posted !
• Why is this topic SO Important ?
• How will you be Assessed/Checked
for Learning on this topic ?Manual
Worksheets;
Quizzes, Puzzles;
Class Summary pts.

2. Today’s Essential Question :
How can Car Control &
Traction, Along With Risk
Management Knowledge
Help Cornering Safety?
… a Routine to Use for the
Rest of Your Life ! =
A HUGE ADVANTAGE !

3. Intelligent Cornering Steps !

4. So, What are KEY Steps ?

5. l l
l 1 Middle l
l of Your Lane l
l l
l 2 3 l
l Near Near l
l Lane’s Right l
l Center White l

6. Introduction To Risk Management …
Intro. Terms You Need To Know :
Zone Control System: Smith System:
6 Open/Closed Zones Eye Discipline
Line of Sight/Scanning “Aim High”
Escape Routes
Space Cushions
I.P.D.E.: Identify the Possible Hazard(s)
Predict What Might Be Necessary
Make an Avoidance Decision or 2
Execute Your Decision: Do It Now !

7. 90% of Accidents COULD BE
AVOIDED IF You Had 1 Second
MORE Advance Warning ! … Just 1
Second.
Introductory Cornering Ideas:
Consider: Eyes…
Up, Scanning, & Use
Peripheral Vision…

8. Eyes Up On Far References
BUT Scanning FAR Ahead !

9. 90% of Accidents COULD BE
AVOIDED IF You Had Just 1 Second
More Warning.
Introductory Cornering Ideas Cont.:
Eyes… Blind Corner
Awareness/ID &
Advantages’ ‘Prep.

10. 90% of Accidents COULD BE AVOIDED
IF You Had 1 Second MORE Advance
Warning ! 1 Second.
Intro. Cornering Ideas Cont.:
Hands…“9 & 3” ‘Wheel
Placement/Usage Precision +
Assist w/ Left Foot Brace Help

11. 90% of Accidents COULD BE AVOIDED
IF You Had 1 Second MORE Advance
Warning ! 1 Second.
Introductory Cornering Ideas Cont.:
Braking… Where ,
When, & How Hard ?
(Factor In Friction Circle
Mixed Traction Limits)

12. 90% of Accidents COULD BE AVOIDED
IF You Had 1 Second MORE Advance
Warning ! 1 Second.
Introductory Cornering Ideas Cont.:
Car Lane Placement…
+ AdvantageS !

13. 90% of Accidents COULD BE AVOIDED
IF You Had 1 Second MORE Advance
Warning ! 1 Second.
Introductory Cornering Ideas Cont.:
Available Car Lane Choices…
“Drive Right Text Says”…
1 = Center of Your Legal Lane of Travel
2 = Left Near Center Yellow Line; & …
3 is Right Side Near White
Line Along
the Shoulder Edge of the Road

14. Turn Your Head & LOOK …

15. What Permits a Driver To…

16. 90% of Accidents ARE AVOIDABLE
IF You Had 1 Second MORE
Advance Warning ! … 1 Second.
Gentle 30% Braking Over Perhaps 50+ Yards
On Approach to the Corner…
Start Moving the Car …
From/To + 3 Reasons Why ???
Eyes ?... Still Up & Looking,
Moving, and … Sc___?____

17. 90% of Accidents COULD BE AVOIDED
IF You Had 1 Second MORE Advance
Warning ! … 1 Second.
Next Cornering Considerations:
You Need To Start
Thinking EARLY/Before the
Blind Corner About …
Gently, Widely, & Smoothly
Entering the Corner… WHY

18. 90% of Accidents COULD BE AVOIDED
IF You Had 1 Second MORE Advance
Warning ! … 1 Second.
Additional Cornering Steps’ Ideas:
Lots of Forces
DON’T Want the Car To
Enter the Corner; These
Forces FIGHT Your Wishes AT the
Contact Patches & Cause Excessive

19. 90% of Accidents COULD BE AVOIDED
IF You Had 1 Second MORE Advance
Warning ! … 1 Second.
Additional Cornering Steps’ Ideas:
Forces like… Centrifugal (Fc);
Rear-Wheel Drive… the Effect ON
Front Tires (Pushing Them Forward
as You Try To Turn) ; Inertia Forces
(At the Tires & At the Car’s Center of
Gravity = “Polar Moment of Inertia”)

21. Key/Main Traction Tires’ Slip Angles
Distorted

23. 90% of Accidents COULD BE AVOIDED
IF You Had 1 Second MORE Advance
Warning ! … 1 Second.
Cornering Steps’ Ideas (Cont.):
Fc = M x V2
RHow Can We Effect the Radius of the Corner & Thus Reduce
the Danger of Fc, View Corner Exit Early, & Tire Traction
Reserves ?
(Wanting To Push Car OFF The Road)

24. 90% of Accidents COULD BE AVOIDED
IF You Had 1 Second MORE Warning !
Cornering Steps’ Ideas (Cont.):
2 Fc = M x V23
< tires’ work
as R 1
How Can We Effect the Radius of the Corner & Thus Reduce
the Danger of Fc, View Corner Exit Early, & Tire Traction
Reserves ?
(Wanting To Push Car OFF The Road)

25. Friction CircleFriction Circle

26. 90% of Accidents COULD BE AVOIDED
IF You Had 1 Second MORE Warning !
Cornering Steps’ Ideas (Cont.):“Freeze” the Wheel @ “9 & 3”
Turn Your Head AND LOOK !
TO GET ADVANTAGES,
Turn Into Corner: 30%/30% Rule
= 30% Gentle Brakes w/ 30% Steering
LEAVING 40% TRACTION IN RESERVE !!

27. 90% of Accidents COULD BE AVOIDED
IF You Had 1 Second MORE Warning !
Cornering Steps’ Ideas (Cont.):
Keep Scanning; “30/30”%
Rule, Start Easing Off
Brakes & Cornering
(Straightening Steering
Wheel Back To “9 & 3”)

28. 90% of Accidents COULD BE
AVOIDED IF You Had a 1 Second
Advance Warning !
Cornering Steps’ Ideas (Cont.):
Goal Now:
Blend Your Braking &
Cornering Into Cornering, &
Start To “9&3” Straighten
That Steering Wheel !

29. Smoothly Steer Out of the Corner
& Gently Accelerate onto Straight

30. What Are The Key Points In
Cornering Safely?
1.) The Car’s Lane Placement
& the Tires’ Contact Patches
2.) Looking EARLY !!
3.) The Tires’ “Slip Angles” In
Fighting Forces of Physics at
Pavement Level.

31. What Forces Fight Against YOUR Wishes
To Turn The Tires Into The Corner ?
1.) C__________ F_______
2.) An Object In Motion…. M x V = M_________m
3.) The Car Has a Center of …. G____________
4.) Reluctance to Rotate: P___ M____ of G_____
5.) … + Others Like … ? The Corner’s > Tightness
Too Large Tires’ Slip Angles
If These Forces Total More Than The Tires’ Total
Available Grip (& Car Ends Up OUTSIDE The
Friction Circle, Your Car Leaves The Road)…CPR
So, What’s In Favor of The Tires to Offset these
Forces that Want the Car to Fly Off the Road ???

32. … What Can YOU Do For the Tires?
1.) _Grip of the Road__________
2.) _Grip/Maintain the Tires____
3.) _Keep Minimal Slip Angles___
4.) _Smooth Wt. Transfer_______
5.) _Check Treadwear Often_____
6.) _Use 30/30 Traction Rule_____
7.) _40% Reserve/Emergency Grip
8.) _Wide Gentle Corner Entrance
9.) Corner Prep. Lane # Placement

33. So, AFTER ALL THESE
CORNERING STEPS…
What SPECIFIC Skills +
“Advantages” DO YOU
REALLY HAVE OVER ALL
OTHER DRIVERS ??

34. So, What are those KEY Steps ?

35. Review: Cornering Sequence:
Look Ahead EARLY; Move Car ?
30% Brake when approaching the
corner -giving more steering
capability and bigger contact
patches on steering tires
Place the Car Towards the Yellow
Left Line to See Earli-EST
through this Rt-Hand Corner
“Freeze” the Wheel @ 9&3
Turn Your Head & Look
30/30% Rule: Look/Brake & Turn
9&3/Accelerate 30% Out of Corner.
BLENDING TRACTION !!!

36. So the Goal is to Avoid 90% of Potential
Accidents by:
1.) Look FAR Ahead/Scan/Awareness
2.) Prepare EARLIEST for Corners
3.) 30% Gentle Braking/Slowing
4.) Place Car for Safe/Max. Control/Traction
5.) “Freeze the Wheel”, Point Your Nose, Turn
Head, & Look FAR Through Corner: ID Risks !
The Car Will Continue To Track Straight.
6.) 30/30% Rule: EZ Brakes/Cornering; 40% Left !
7.) Look Far Ahead, Less Braking, Less
Cornering to SMOOTH Throttle, 9 & 3, etc…
8.) … Always having Traction IN RESERVE !!

37. CORNERING ADVANTAGES:
1.) EARLY HAZARD ID/RECOGNITION AT
THE TURN-IN OF THE BLIND CORNER.
2.) 1 SECOND ADVANTAGE IN ANY EARLIEST HAZARD
RECOGNITION/AVOIDANCE
3.) AVOID 90% OF POSSIBLE LIFETIME ACCIDENTS !!
4) LESS TIRE TRACTION DEMANDS
5.) MORE TRACTION IN RESERVE TO AVOID ACCIDENTS
6.) TURNS ARE PHYSICALLY EASIER TO DO
7.) WIDER, GENTLER CORNER ENTRIES ALSO HELP
DECREASE Fc & OTHER FORCES WANTING THE CAR TO
LEAVE THE ROAD… SO OUR CHOSEN PATH IS SAFEST !