Driving in great weather is something many of us love to do. We like to go out, feel the warm weather and let the sun shine down while we visit the country. Daily commutes tend to get boring, and stagnate. With new views and fresh air it is possible to enjoy your cars power while staying within the laws of the road.
When driving on country roads there is a danger- the tightening radius bend that is well known for creating several accidents. On a normal corner the radius will remain the same as you make the turn, thus you will leave the steering in the same position. With curves the tightening radius bend may vary, thus you have to change the steering lock as you move further into the curve.
A good illustration of this is when a car crashes because the driver did not properly reduce their speed or consider that the curve may change as the bend continues. Often times a corner will change in the bend, tightening and thus requiring a lower speed.
To try and stay on the road, the driver may change the wheel or steering lock, and unfortunately the speed is usually too much. This causes the car to be under steered. The driver may fight this feeling by hitting the brakes, which will worsen the condition. In this situation the vehicle will hit traffic coming down the other lane or it may wind up in a ditch.
The problem is further compounded on country roads because hedges, bushes, or trees can obscure a drivers site regarding a bend. Therefore they are unprepared for the change in the corner and danger ensues.
If you want to avoid being a statistic you will want to use visual cues. Before entering a curve make sure you are going the proper speed by braking or if need be changing the gears.
Light poles or telephone poles are the best visual cues you have in regards to a curve that is obstructed. The poles can indicate a change is going to occur in the road, thus giving you warning. At night these types of cues can be difficult to see, so using an oncoming car’s headlights for warning is also acceptable. You should enter a bend at a safe speed to remain on your side of the road and avoid an unbalanced car when you hit the middle of the curve.
Once the bend starts to open out again and you can see clearly ahead you can begin to accelerate. Remember driving in the countryside holds other hazards for unsuspecting drivers, like slippery mud on the road, slow moving tractors and errant livestock. So always think “what if” when deciding on the appropriate speed for a bend.
You can maximise the chances of being seen by other road users by switching on your standard headlight bulbs, even if you are driving during the day. You can now also upgrade them to brighter xenon bulbs like the bulbs found here, as studies have show daytime running car light can dramatically lower the chances of a road traffic collision.
