Driving tips When you drive on steep slopes

If there is anything very true that applies to the skill of driving it is to be prepared always for anything. Driving on a straight countryside is quite an easy task although the real driving skills are required when you have to drive along slopes and hills. Anyone and everyone can learn driving skills along a straight road however it is extremely important and necessary to learn a few skills to handle your vehicle while driving along a steep slope uphill or downhill. It presents a challenge especially it involves frequent skills of braking and cornering. Both these actions introduce forces in addition to natural on the vehicle and its balance.

Some of very important tips to be remembered while driving uphill and downhill are as follows:

Always downshift one gear from your cruising for any 3% grade in the uphill. Maintain this downshift for any further 3% grades. Also you need to maintain a constant rpm of min 1000- 1500 above regular cruise rpm. Ensure that you never cruise at higher rpm than standard since this will increase the chances of your vehicle getting overheated. This will result in lugging of engine or transmission overheating if you drop a gear in such situation.

Maintain a steady throttle, which should be within the safe speed limits even on turns. If you own a front wheel drive car then you need to let off gas since while moving uphill a great deal of weight is on rear axle, which reduces traction on front wheels, and likewise steering response. This will help reduce stress on front tires and ensure they turn safely.

There will be a brief reduction in response of steering once you reach uphill. Hence need to let off the gas, since the car will continue its upward trajectory and will take certain amount of time to settle. The inertia will continue to make the engine take car upward and till it settles down on completion of uphill you may feel car out of control for some time.

On the other hand while driving downhill you may need to maintain you’re climbing gear or may have to reduce by one or more. The task will totally depend on the engine type and weight of car also considering the grade of slope. In the natural the car will be pulled down the slope due to the natural gravity causing automatic acceleration. You may need to control the acceleration since it may turn vehicle out of control. This can be controlled by proper usage of brakes and reducing the gear one by one.

Similarly, you may need to modulate the speed of car by use of braking. Ensure that the engine is at constant rpm while doing so. You must decelerate to safe controlled speed before entering into any turn. Over speed in such situations can put extra weight on front axle of your vehicle and may cause it to overturn or tail slide. Putting brakes while turning will put added weight on front wheels increasing the possibility of over steer or skid.

Whenever applying brakes for a stop ensure you press firmly, don’t stab the brakes as if panic stop. If you press too little of brakes for a longer time it will ensure overheating of brakes, fluid and pad getting worn out. Whereas too much of braking will also result in greater chances of brake failure since brakes will overheat. Either of ways there will be greater possibility of failure of braking system. Also immediately after stopping you should never apply the parking brakes since the brake pads would be already hot and would have a welding effect on rotors.

These are some of the quick and easy driving tips on slope. Hope you have a comfortable, safe and enjoyable drive.