70
Hills
Choose carefully which hills you attempt to
climb or descend. Avoid hills with slippery sur-
faces or those where you will not be able to see
far enough ahead of you. Use common sense
and remember that some hills are too steep for
you to climb or descend. Use proper driving
techniques to avoid rearward, forward, or
sideways rollovers on hills and slopes.
Drive straight up and down inclines, not across
them. If crossing a hill is unavoidable, drive
slowly. Turn downhill immediately if you feel
the vehicle may tip.
If you think or feel the vehicle may tip or
roll:
Brace yourself by pressing your feet firmly
on the floorboards and keep a firm grip on
the steering wheel or handholds.
Do not put your hands or feet outside of
the vehicle for any reason.
Uphill
Do not attempt to climb hills until you have
mastered basic maneuvers on flat ground.
Drive straight up hills, and avoid crossing the
side of a hill, which increases your risk of rollo-
ver. Practice first on gentle slopes before at-
tempting steeper hills. Always check the terrain
carefully before attempting any hill.
To climb a hill, you need traction, momentum,
and steady throttle. For more traction and con-
trol for climbing steeper and/or rougher slopes,
shift into low gear and select “4WD” or “LOCK”.
Travel fast enough to maintain momentum, but
not so fast that you cannot react to changes in
the terrain as you climb.
Slow down when you reach the crest of the hill
if you cannot see clearly what is on the other
side – there could be another person, an obsta-
cle, or a sharp drop-off.
