7 Tips to Drive Curvy Roads Safely
Upon your road journeys, you will come across curvy or winding roads. Whether it is roundabouts or curvy mountain roads, knowing how to control your wheels, steering, and brakes will be key. Failure to control your vehicle as you move along curvy roads can cause fatal and severe accidents. Some common troubles you may encounter include skidding, sliding, or rolling off the road.
Nonetheless, driving on curvy roads can still be a fun experience only when you do it right. If you are a beginner or an intermediate who feels nervous on your curvy road journeys, have no fear because we are here to help. Read on to learn about the 7 things you should do to drive safely on curvy roads. We want to give you the best experience with curvy roads, but before you can enjoy the fun, you must know how to drive curvy roads safely.
#1 Understand Why Curvy Roads are Dangerous
Curvy roads are not only dangerous because they can cause fatal accidents, but also because of your lack of control over your vehicle. As drivers, you should understand when and how to turn your wheels because it will affect your position on the road. Improper turns can cause conflicting movement on the wheels that may cause skidding, a risky situation you will want to avoid. You should know how your wheels operate to better understand the risk of your actions when driving on curvy roads.
#2 Stay in Your Lane
If you come across a two-way lane, make sure you are in the proper lane. You want to stay in between the lane lines and not hug the lane too closely, especially if you are driving on the outer lane. The closer you are near the curved edge of the lane, the more likely it is for you to get in an accident if you fail to make proper turning and steering. For safe driving, make sure you are driving in the proper lane and try to stay close to the center line instead of the edge side of the curve.
#3 Pay extra attention
Paying extra attention to your surroundings and knowing when to make your turns is crucial to drive safely on curvy roads. You want to have a good estimation of your position to the curve ahead and watch out for drivers ahead and behind you. Missing other drivers will increase your chance of colliding or crashing into them.
#4 Slow Down
As you watch where you are going, make sure to slow down. Whether you come across a speed limit sign or not, slow down as you advance on the curvy road. Managing your speed can help you better control your wheels and correct your movements if you turn too quickly or too late. You should drive at or below the speed limit. If the speed limit sign is not available to you, it is recommended to drive around 20-25 mph (35-45 mph for wider curves or 10-15 mph for tighter, smaller curves).
#5 Enter Slowly, Accelerate Out
As you approach the curvy road, you want to make sure you are entering slowly and advancing at the speed limit. When you are midway on the road, you can gradually speed up a bit. Be prepared to straighten your wheels and accelerate as you exit the road.
#6 Avoid Understeering
Understeer can happen when your vehicle turns sharply and starts to slide away from the intended curve path. To prevent understeering, it is recommended that you reduce your speed for better control when you drive around curves. As you regain control of your car, make sure you do not make sudden steering motions and lightly apply the brake as you start to steer in the desired direction.
#7 Use your Headlights
Some curvy roads are common around areas with trees casting shade. Using headlights in the daylight can help other drivers to spot your car in these shaded areas. Headlights can be extremely helpful at night to help you see the road ahead of you as well as to alert other drivers to your presence.
Use our tips and guidance to help you have a safe driving experience the next time you drive on curvy roads! For more information, feel free to visit our website at https://www.ferraridrivingschool.com/.