Off-Highway Guidelines
Driving Tips
The following pages contain practical
tips on basic off-highway operation.
Check Out Your Vehicle
Driving off-highway can be hard on a
vehicle. Before you leave the
pavement, be sure all scheduled
maintenance and service has been
done, and that you have inspected
your vehicle. Pay special attention to
the condition of the tires, and use a
gauge to check the tire pressures.
After you return to the pavement,
carefully inspect your vehicle to
make sure there is no damage that
could make driving it unsafe. Check
the tires for damage and for proper
pressure.
Controlling Speed
Off-highway, the general rule is to
keep your speed low. Of course,
you'll need enough speed to keep
moving forward. But at higher
speeds, you have less time to assess
conditions and make good decisions.
There's also a greater chance of
sliding if you brake or turn too
quickly on wet soil, gravel, or ice. In
any situation, never go faster than
conditions allow.
Accelerating and Braking
For better traction on all surfaces,
accelerate slowly and gradually build
up speed. If you try to start too fast
on wet soil, mud, snow, or ice, you
might not have enough traction to
get underway. You may even dig
yourself into a hole.
Generally, the best off-pavement
braking technique is to gently
depress the brake pedal, then
increase pressure as more braking is
needed. Avoid hard braking. Keep in
mind that you will usually need more
time and distance to brake to a stop
on unpaved surfaces.
Test your brakes from time to time
to make sure they are operating
properly. This will also give you a
feel for how much traction you have
on a given surface.
Turning
Off-highway, the basic turning
technique is to drive at low speed
and gradually adjust the amount of
steering to suit the surface.
You should have no problem making
sharp turns at low speed on level
ground. But never make an abrupt
turn at higher speeds, on or off
pavement. With a higher center of
gravity, your vehicle can more easily
tip or roll over.
Driving
