Driving
Downhill
When off-roading takes
you
downhill, you’ll want to
consider a number of things:
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How steep is the downhill? Will
I
be able
to
maintain
vehicle control?
What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are
there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
What’s at the bottom
of
the hill?
Is
there a hidden
creek bank or even a river bottom with large rocks?
If
you
decide
you
can go down a hill safely, then try
to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and
use
a low
gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes and
they won’t have to do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
Heavy braking when going down a
hill
can cause
your brakes to overheat and fade.
This
could cause
loss
of
control and a serious accident. Apply the
brakes lightly when descending a
hill
and use a
low
gear to keep vehicle speed under control.
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Are
there some things
I
should not do when
A:
Yes! These are important because if you ignore them
driving down a hill?
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you could lose control and have a serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that’s not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive across.
You
could roll over if
you
don’t drive straight down.
Never
go
downhill with the transmission
in
NEUTRAL
(N),
or with the clutch pedal depressed
in a manual shift.
This
is
called “free-wheeling.”
Your brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
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