MORE FUN, LESS RISK; AUTO CLUB SUGGESTS TIPS FOR SUV OWNERS.

Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Daily News Staff Writer

Memo to drivers muscling their way over Southern California's freeways and city streets in hulking sport-utility vehicles: Learn how to drive.

At least, that's the message from the august Automobile Club of Southern California, which not coincidentally insures lots of SUVs and pays lots of claims for the damage they cause. Anyway, the Auto Club issued Friday a six-pack of tips that can make driving an SUV safer for everyone.

The basic message is that an SUV is a lot different than a sedan or sports car, which makes sense because they don't look anything alike. And because SUVs are different, they should be driven differently.

``I don't know if (SUV drivers) are aggressive or overconfident in the vehicle's ability but it translates to more dangerous behavior on the road,'' said Jeffrey Spring, Auto Club spokesman.

So swallow some pride and brush up on the driving techniques, the Auto Club says. It won't hurt nearly as much as a crash.

For example junk that ``road warrior'' mind-set, read the owner's manual and get used to how an SUV handles in the rain by practicing in an empty parking lot when the pavement is slick.

Surprisingly, 100 percent of SUV drivers in an informal poll taken Friday afternoon agreed that they are good ideas, especially for first-time owners. And the advice couldn't come at a better time since SUVs are among the most popular vehicles on the road; in fact, about one in three vehicles on the road today is an SUV, minivan or light truck.

Altadena resident Marcus Wooler thinks the state should consider requiring a special license or driving test for SUV owners.

``It is different from driving a car,'' said Wooler, who has been tooling around in a Ford Explorer for the last five years. ``(SUV) drivers also feel a false sense of security. Granted, it's heavier, but it also takes longer to stop.''

Woodland Hills resident David Gutekunst drives a 1977 Toyota Land Cruiser and bought an old SUV for his daughter because he thinks they're safer to drive.

He, too, believes a refresher course in driving would be good for everybody.

``It's not a bad idea,'' he said of the Auto Club's suggestions. ``I think all drivers could benefit from some instruction on safer driving.''

The main problem with SUVs is that they have a higher ground clearance, ostensibly for clearing logs and boulders out in the boondocks. Realistically, though, the biggest obstacle faced by most of the SUVs in Los Angeles are shopping center speed bumps.

Know the Risk

Still, their chic design is also their Achilles' heel since they are more likely to roll over than closer-to-the-ground sedans.

SUVs have a rollover rate of 98 deaths per million registered vehicles, versus 44 fatalities per million registered vehicles for all other vehicle types, according to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. About 60 percent of SUV occupants killed during crashes in 1997 died in rollovers.

``If you make sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers the vehicle may roll over or go out of control and crash,'' said safety administration spokesman Tim Hurd. ``So it's always a good idea to learn as much as you can about the vehicle you are driving.''

Seatbelt Safety

Using safety equipment like seat belts is a smart move, too, he said.

To drive home this point, the administration announced Friday it is requiring that new SUVs must display an illustrated warning label noting the vehicle has a higher rollover risk than standard automobiles.

It must be placed on either the sun visor or driver side window and cautions drivers to ``avoid abrupt maneuvers and excessive speed'' and to ``always buckle up.''

The old warning contained only text but the new one gets the message across with a graphic showing an SUV pitching over and a passenger wearing a seat belt.

These new labels are required on vehicles with a wheelbase of 110 inches or less starting in 2000, so it includes popular models like the Ford Explorer and Jeep Cherokee. But vehicles like the super-sized Chevrolet Suburban with a longer wheelbase are exempt.

Ford Motor Co. said that getting this kind of message out makes sense.

``Anytime you can raise awareness of drivers about the handling and characteristics of a vehicle, that's a good thing,'' said spokeswoman Jennifer Flake.

Encino resident Diane Hylan says it does take some time to get used to the size of a sport-utility vehicle, especially when it comes to parking and making left turns at intersections.

She's been driving her Ford Explorer since 1994 and loves it.

``You do have to learn how to drive them. It's a spatial relationship thing. But with a large vehicle like this you can see clearly. And then you have to get three jobs to feed it,'' she said.

SAFE DRIVING TIPS

- Avoid road warrior mentality.

- Review your owner's manual regarding handling characteristics of your vehicle and four-wheel drive operation and performance.

- Be aware of all the vehicles around you in traffic, particularly the smaller ones.

- Check your vehicle mirrors to make sure they minimize your blind spots on either side of your vehicle. Because of an SUV's width, the mirrors may require a more outward adjustment.

- Most new SUVs have anti-lock brakes. When making a quick stop with anti-lock brakes, maintain firm and constant pressure on the brake pedal.

- To reduce risk of a collission in bad weather, familiarize yourself with you SUVs performance. Practice driving while the pavement is slick to get used to overall handling.

SOURCE: Automobile Club of Southern California

FATAL ROLLOVER CRASHES

In 1996, SUVs had the highest rate of fatal crashes involving rollover:

SUVs: 37%

Pickups: 25%

Vans: 19%

Cars: 15%

Other: 4%

SOURCE: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

CAPTION(S):

Box, Chart

BOX: SAFE DRIVING TIPS (see text)

CHART: FATAL ROLLOVER CRASHES (see text)