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.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
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 Ion-
511.
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.
Coast
...d
downhill in
NEUTRA-
,..,
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.
0
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to
a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxle, and you can climb the hill better.
e
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.
-
As
you
go
over ihe
iop
oi
a
hiii,
be
aieri.
There
couia
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.
4-25
To Next Page
Loading...
