Gravel roads present special driving challenges as evidenced by the high number of rollover accidents. Following are some safety tips to minimize the safety hazards when operating a vehicle on gravel roads:

• When driving onto a gravel surface, slow down and drive carefully.
• As a driver you should always drive at a speed that will allow you to stop safely for any hazard.
• On gravel, sudden changes in direction such as a swerve to avoid an object or animal on the road, can be dangerous.
• Stopping or speeding up too quickly can result in loss of control.
• Know your braking system (refer to your owner’s manual):
• If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, you should be able to apply full brake pressure and still have steering control.
• If your vehicle does not have anti-lock brakes, apply steady brake pressure without locking the wheels and losing steering control. This is sometimes referred to as threshold braking.
• Remember that stopping distances are increased because your tires have reduced traction to the road surface (loose gravel surface).
• Following distance is very important. You should stay a minimum of six seconds behind other vehicles. This distance should be increased when road conditions are less than ideal (washboard, potholes and loose gravel). This will reduce the danger from clouds of dust obscuring vision and flying rocks damaging head lights and windshields.
• Rollovers are of particular concern in rural driving, whether on gravel or pavement. It’s very easy for a distracted driver to allow the tires on one side of the vehicle to wander off the road while travelling at higher speeds. Many drivers will try to get back on track by quickly turning the steering wheel and jamming on the brakes. This can cause the vehicle to start into a skid, where it may tip and rollover several times before stopping.
• To avoid a rollover take your foot off the gas and steer the vehicle so it follows the edge of the roadway, slowly turn the steering wheel to gradually guide the vehicle back onto the road.