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Driving Tips > The 60-Second Driver
Gravel Roads
Gravel roads are a fact of life for rural Manitoba drivers. But, since urban Manitobans head to the lakes in rural Manitoba, they are often a fact of life for city dwellers, too.
Gravel roads present their own special road safety challenge. The issue is traction.
Driving on loose gravel is harder than driving on pavement because your tires don't have the traction needed to give you stable control. Throw speed into the mix, and you have a formula for trouble.
Construction materials, weather, traffic volumes, and vehicle weights can change a gravel road's condition very quickly.
That's why it's so important to approach gravel roads with caution each and every time you encounter one. It may not be the same road you traveled this morning.
There are specific driving behaviours you can adopt that can help decrease your risk.
- Leaving a paved surface for a gravel one. The first thing to remember is to slow down. Your vehicle is going to handle differently when it moves from one surface to another. The gravel may be loose, or it may be hard-packed; you want to know how your car handles before you speed up.
- Avoid sudden changes in direction, such as a swerve to avoid an object or animal on the road. Swerving can be particularly dangerous on loose gravel or at excessive speed.
- Stopping or speeding up too quickly. Always drive at a speed that allows you to stop easily for any hazard. Accelerate and brake slowly, and reduce your speed when approaching blind intersections, bushes and hills. Be considerate, too. As you approach other vehicles, slow down and move over to the right so you can pass each other safely and avoid stone chips.
- Stay back and keep a good following distance. Even if the visibility is good and the road is hard-packed, stay at least 6 seconds behind other vehicles. Increase this distance when conditions are less than perfect. This reduces the danger from a cloud of dust obscuring vision or flying rocks damaging headlights and windshields.
- Stay on the tracks. If you're the only one on the road, drive in the tire tracks that exist. Even if the tracks are in the middle of the road, it's safer to drive in the tracks than to be too close to a deep ditch or a soft shoulder. Of course, always scan ahead for oncoming traffic, and move to the right if a vehicle is approaching.
- Rollovers. It's easy for a distracted driver to allow the tires on one side of the car to wander off the road while travelling at higher speeds. Don't turn the steering wheel and jam on the brakes. This can cause the car to start into a sideways skid, where it may tip and roll over several times before stopping. If the tires on one side of the vehicle go off the pavement, don't immediately turn the wheel to try to get back on the pavement. Lift your foot off the gas and steer the car so it follows the edge of the pavement. Slowly turn the steering wheel to gradually guide the tire back to the road.
- Be ready for skids. A vehicle can become difficult to handle in heavy gravel. If the vehicle starts to skid, remove the cause of the skid by releasing your accelerator or brakes. As you release them, look where you want to go, steer the vehicle in this direction. Remember, too, that the maximum speed limit in ideal conditions is 90 km/h unless otherwise posted.
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