How to Drive on Steep Slopes

It's hard to drive up or down steep slopes. You need to have the perfect blend of clutch, brake, and gas pedal power. Driving straight is basic. Advanced drivers need to know how to drive on their own when going through steep slopes upwards and downwards.

This type of driving can be challenging to beginners, but necessary when driving up a mountain or higher elevations as well as when driving though a multi-storey parking lot.

Important Tips When Driving Downhill and Uphill

  • Know When to Downshift and Increase RPM: When cruising for any three percent in the uphill, you should always do the downshift of one gear. You're also required to maintain a constant engine RPM of a minimum of 1,000 to 1,500 above your regular cruising RPM. Rev your car properly in order to really let your vehicle make that upwards climb. Make sure you don't cruise at higher RPM than the standard because that will only result in an overheating vehicle. It's indeed a balancing act to keep your transmission overheating or your engine lugging if you drop a gear in such a circumstance.
  • Maintain a Steady Throttle: Slow and steady doesn't only win the race; it also helps you climb steep uphill roads. Maintain a steady throttle that should be within the safe speed limits, even when you're dealing with uphill turns like in a multi-storey parking lot. If you have a car with a front-wheel drive, you should let off gas as well while going uphill because a huge amount of weight is going on your rear axle, which in turn can reduce steering response and front-wheel traction. This will allow your front tires to turn safely due to stress reduction.
  • Anticipate Response Reduction: Once you reach your uphill climb on a steep road, there will be a brief window wherein the responsiveness of your steering will be reduced. You should compensate for this to let off the gas because the vehicle will still go upwards and it will take a bit of time for it to settle still. The inertia of your climb will make your motor take the automobile upwards until it settles down and follows through, so be careful and expect the car to feel a bit out of your control and unresponsive during this period.
  • Maintain or Reduce by One Gear When Driving Downhill: When you're driving downhill, you should maintain your climbing gear or go down a gear. Dropping or maintaining gears depends on the grade of the slope, the weight of your vehicle, and the type of engine it has. As dictated by the Law of Physics, your car will be pulled down the sliding slope due to gravity, so you need to control your acceleration in order to keep your car from going out of control. This entails lowering your gear and using your brakes.

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