Driving Safely and Confidently on Mountain Roads

Fresno, California, is one of the most beautiful areas in the entire country, featuring breathtaking natural scenery that visitors and residents alike should be sure to tour. Surrounded by tall mountains with steep roads, driving around Fresno can be challenging for many people, particularly those who feel intimidated by mountain driving.

Before you head out to see the sites in Fresno, it’s a good idea to learn how to drive around mountains safely. Here are a few tips for mountain driving that will keep you calm and confident the next time you find yourself on a steep Fresno road.

Fill Up the Tank

One of the most important things you can do before you take a trip in the mountains is to make sure you have a full gas tank. Unlike driving on the highway, where gas stations can be found every few miles, you can drive as much as 100 miles on a mountain road without an opportunity to purchase more fuel.

Since the last thing you want while driving on a mountain is to run out of gas, you need to be certain you have enough fuel to make it up and back down the peaks.

Braking Effectively

When you’re driving on a mountain road, you will heavily rely on your braking system, which means you need to make sure you’re using your brakes the right way. Because mountain roads are so steep, it takes much longer to slow down than it does on flat roads. Also, turns on mountains can be extremely sharp. If you don’t approach them with caution, it can be easy to lose control of your vehicle.

On a mountain road, it’s crucial that you apply your brakes before turns, not during them. Braking early will help you turn more easily and make sure your mountain trip is safer.

Downshifting

A factor many people are unprepared for when driving on a mountain road is the difference in downshifting. Whether you’re going uphill or downhill, you should downshift to a lower gear before approaching the incline.

If you maintain a higher gear while going down a steep grade, it can cause your vehicle to speed up to a tremendous degree, possibly resulting in a loss of control. Driving up a steep upgrade in too high a gear can cause your engine to overheat and your vehicle to stop in a dangerous location. Choosing the right gear on a mountain road is a crucial part of staying safe.

Stay in Your Lane

Another obstacle of driving on a mountain road is that the lanes are often very narrow, causing many people to ride close to the centerline. While this is understandable, it also greatly increases your chances of experiencing a potentially deadly head-on collision. While driving on a mountain, make sure you keep your vehicle completely in your lane, staying as far from the center line as is reasonably safe. Also, remember the uphill driver has the right of way.

Follow these simple rules and you’ll be able to drive on the mountain roads near Fresno, California, confidently and securely.