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Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any
road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving. At the
very time you need special alertness and driving
skills, your reflexes, perceptions, and judgment can be
affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You
could have a serious — or even fatal — accident if you
drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been
drinking. See Drunk Driving on page 4-2.
Driving on Off-Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up, down, or across a
hill. Driving safely on hills requires good judgment
and an understanding of what your vehicle can and
cannot do. There are some hills that simply cannot be
driven, no matter how well built the vehicle.
CAUTION:
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Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle.
If you drive up them, you will stall. If you drive
down them, you cannot control your speed. If
you drive across them, you will roll over. You
could be seriously injured or killed. If you have
any doubt about the steepness, do not drive
the hill.
4-18
Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it is one
of those hills that is just too steep to climb, descend, or
cross. Steepness can be hard to judge. On a very small
hill, for example, there may be a smooth, constant incline
with only a small change in elevation where you can
easily see all the way to the top. On a large hill, the incline
may get steeper as you near the top, but you may not see
this because the crest of the hill is hidden by bushes,
grass, or shrubs.
Here are some other things to consider as you approach
a hill.
•
Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply
steeper in places?
•
Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the
surface cause tire slipping?
•
Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you will
not have to make turning maneuvers?
•
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your
path, such as boulders, trees, logs, or ruts?
•
What is beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an
embankment, a drop-off, a fence? Get out and
walk the hill if you do not know. It is the smart way to
find out.
•
Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have
ruts, gullies, troughs, and exposed rocks because
they are more susceptible to the effects of erosion.
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