Hills need some extra inputs from the driver, both physically and mentally. Taking your car off-highway can be a thrilling adventure but if you aren't careful enough it could be a terrible disaster. And you don't want that. So, it's only wise that you spare some time to plan and prepare yourself and your car for the upcoming travel. These basic tips will make your trip a fun and safe one.

  • Always know where you are. Make it a habit to carry maps, guidebooks and use GPS whenever you get on the road for a long trip. Always inform someone where you're going so if you're late or lost they know where to look.
  • Drive slow and easy. Don't just rush into it blindly - look carefully. The road might take a quick turn just when you can't see anything around you.
  • When climbing a hill, its best to use as high a gear as your car will 'pull' easily. If the gear selected is too low, you will spin the tyres. If it is too high, you will not have enough horsepower to climb up.
  • Any hill you go down on you will sometime have to come back up. If it doesn't look like you can, don't go down unless there's another clear and evident way out. Stay on the recognized path.
  • Make sure your horn and lights are working in perfect conditions. Honk at every curve and corner and turn.
  • Never ever drive downhill with your car in neutral or engine shut off. Use lower gears and brakes judiciously.
  • Always prepare for a failed climb. Work out an escape route and know where all of the obstacles are.
  • If you park on a hill, turn off the engine; always leave it in gear and never in neutral. Place rocks or logs under the wheels to provide extra braking assistance.
  • If you lose traction going uphill on a soft surface, like mud, sand, gravel, loose dirt, rock your steering wheel back and forth quickly, about a half a turn, from side to side. This gives the front wheels more bite, and keep you going.
  • When going downhill, stay off the brakes as much as you can. Use engine compression to slow down the care. Shift to lower gears. Applying brakes risks locking them and allowing the rig to slip around sideways, possibly rolling you over down the hill.
  • If you have a rig with air conditioning, turn it off before going uphill. That may give you few more horsepower to make the grade but turn it on before going downhill to make your engine work a little harder and slow you down more.
  • Always be prepared. Before you head out, make sure you check your emergency supply box for all the basic medication and first aid.