Black Ice, slush and water all make driving over mountains in winters a tough ordeal. Here are a few tips that would help you reach your destination safely.
How to Slow Down Over Ice
Black ice is pretty abundant on mountains during the winter season. Black ice is slippery and can cause the vehicle to spin out of control while braking. It’s better to be aware of the sections that have black ice before driving. If the sections you are driving on has Black ice we would recommend that you slow down through engine braking rather than applying sudden brakes.
Slow Down by De-Accelerating
Rather than slowing down by braking on black ice it would be better to slow down by getting off the accelerator. In case you are travelling down declines we would recommend that you try and keep the vehicle as slow as possible. look into the distance and try to steer clear of any impediments that might be in the way.
Shift Into a Lower Gear For Slow Speeds
Shifting into a lower gear on declines would help you slow down the vehicle with Engine Braking and help you slow down with ease. Rather than braking which can put the vehicle in spin , shifting to a lower gear would help you in slowing down with ease. If you are planning to drive in the mountain regions following this technique would be very useful.
Deflate Your Tires
In case of driving on Black Ice we would recommend that you drive with your tires a little deflated. This would increase the surface area of the tires in contact with the road and help you drive easily. Follow this tip only if you have a portable air pressure pump.
Right Of The Way On Mountains
While driving on mountains always remember that the right of the way belongs to the vehicle that is riding up a incline. In a situation where a vehicle is struggling to ride up a incline we would recommend that you steer clear of its path and allow them passage to move.
Using High Beam lights Judiciously
High beam lights are meant for highways and using them on mountains and narrow roads can cause the upcoming traffic difficulties. Whenever you drive on narrow roads its important that you use dippers only to signal your presence or switch it off when vehicles pass from the other road.
While the police has restricted the entry of front wheel drive vehicles to higher Mountain passes, you can still visit hill stations nearby. These tips would help you in your drive.
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