Advertisement
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 enj'oyable.
0
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.
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.
I
CAUTION:
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.
0
0
0
0
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.
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
h i l l
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.
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
t h t
w m
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
Advertisement
