If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can
make your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See
“Off-Road Driving” in the Index for information
about driving off-road.)
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
0
Know how to
go
down hills. The most important
thing
to
know is this: let your engine do some
of
the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
If
you don’t shift down, your brakes could
get
so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going
down
a
hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
Coasting downhill in
NEUTRAL
(N)
or with
the ignition
off
is
dangerous. Your brakes will
have to do all the work of slowing down. They
could get
so
hot that they wouldn’t work well.
You would then have
poor
braking
or
even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Always have
your engine running and your vehicle in gear
when
you
go downhill.
L
Know
how
to
go
uphill.
You
may want to
shift
down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can climb the
hill
better.
Stay in
your
own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
0
As
you
go over the top of a hill,
be
alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car
or
an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples
are
long grades, passing
or
no-passing zones,
a
falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
4-38
To Next Page
Loading...
