Operator's Manual
iteasyasyoubegin.Besureyouknowhowtostop
quicklyinanemergency.Ifyouneedhelp,askyour
supervisorforassistance.
Manyfactorscontributetoaccidents.Youhavecontrol
overseveralofthemostimportant.Youractions,
suchasdrivingtoofastforconditions,brakingtoo
fast,turningtoosharp,andcombinationsofthese,are
frequentcauseofaccidents.
Oneofthemajorcausesofaccidentsisfatigue.Besure
totakeoccasionalbreaks.Itisveryimportantthatyou
stayalertatalltimes.
Neveroperatethevehicle,oranyequipment,ifyou
areundertheinuenceofalcoholorotherdrugs.
Evenprescriptiondrugsandcoldmedicinescancause
drowsiness.Readthelabelonthemedicineorcheck
withyourdoctororpharmacistifyouareunsureabout
acertainmedication.
Oneofthemostimportantrulestofollowistogo
slowerinunfamiliarareas.Itissurprisinghowmuch
damageandinjurycommonthingscancause.Tree
branches,fences,wires,othervehicles,treestumps,
ditches,sandtraps,streams,andotherthingsfoundin
mostparksandgolfcoursescanbehazardoustothe
operatorandpassenger.
Avoiddrivingwhenitisdark,especiallyinunfamiliar
areas.Ifyoumustdrivewhenitisdark,besuretodrive
cautiously,usetheheadlights,andevenconsideradding
additionallights.
Passengers
Wheneveryouhaveapassengerridinginthevehicle
makesureheorsheiswearingtheseatbeltandholding
onsecurely.Driveslowerandturnlesssharplybecause
yourpassengerdoesnotknowwhatyouaregoingto
donextandmaynotbepreparedforturning,stopping,
accelerating,andbumps.
Youandyourpassengershouldremainseatedatall
times,keepingarmsandlegsinsidethevehicle.The
operatorshouldkeepbothhandsonsteeringwheel,
wheneverpossible,andthepassengershouldusethe
handholdsprovided(
Figure26&Figure27).
Figure26
1.Passengerhandhold
2.Storagecompartment
Figure27
1.Handhold&hiprestraint
Neverallowpassengersinthedumpboxoronany
attachments.Thevehicleismeanttohaveonedriver
andonlyonepassenger—nomore.
Speed
Speedisoneofthemostimportantvariablesleadingto
accidents.Drivingtoofastfortheconditionscancause
youtolosecontrolandhaveanaccident.Speedcan
alsomakeaminoraccidentworse.Drivinghead-on
intoatreeatslowspeedcancauseinjuryanddamage,
but,drivingintoatreeathighspeedcandestroythe
vehicleandkillyouandyourpassenger.
Neverdrivetoofastfortheconditions.Ifthereisany
doubtabouthowfasttodrive,slowdown.
28