Off-Road Driving & Safety Tips

Speed is not your friend.
The off-road driver’s mantra is “As Slow As Possible, As Fast As Necessary.” (The original author of this quote is uncertain, but I first heard it at a Land Rover driving school.) Sometimes a little speed may be required to climb a hill or conquer a hazard. However, if you think the obstacle requires even 10 mph, you’re probably not going to make it. And you’re going to damage something or get stuck.

Sometimes you can’t get there from here.
This is true even with a well-equipped vehicle and a skilled driver—and was certainly true of an unskilled teenager in a poorly equipped vehicle. It’s far easier to discover an alternate route than to find someone willing and able to come to your rescue. Walking the rest of the way is better than walking home.

Stay on the trail.
Trying to blaze my own trail not only got me stuck, but it left ruts that remained for years. Drive on previously used paths: You’ll know it’s possible to make it through there and you’ll do less damage to the environment. A warning: Just because somebody else made it doesn’t guarantee you will. Maybe they had a better vehicle, were a more skilled driver or went through before it rained.

Walk it first.
If you can’t negotiate mud, sand or other obstacles on foot, it’s highly unlikely your vehicle can make it. It’s critical to check out a water-covered route: Unless you’ve seen another vehicle go through it, you can’t be certain it doesn’t hide a huge hole.

Be willing to walk back.
Never tackle a questionable obstacle unless you’re able to walk back to where help awaits. If you’re going off road, your cell phone will be useless. Even if there is coverage, there’s nobody to call unless you’ve made a prior arrangement. The road-service tow-truck driver won’t leave the pavement, the farmer with the tractor might not be home, and the guy in the SUV you wave down on the highway may not be able or willing to help. Not all SUVs have four-wheel-drive and a tow strap.