If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
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 transmission. 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 long hill.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they would not 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.
{CAUTION:
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 would not 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.
•Knowhow to go uphill. You may want to shift down to
alower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
andtransmission, and you can climb the hill better.
•Stayin your own lane when driving on two-lane
roadsin hills or mountains. Do not swing wide or cut
acrossthe center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
youstay in your own lane.
•Asyou go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could
besomething in your lane, like a stalled car or an
accident.
•Youmay see highway signs on mountains that warn
ofspecial problems. Examples are long grades,
passingor no-passing zones, a falling rocks area,
orwinding roads. Be alert to these and take
appropriateaction.
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