Community - Off-Road Safety Tips and Driving Techniques | Falken Tires

Off-Road Safety Tips and Driving Techniques

From learning the proper driving techniques to understanding proper etiquette while on the trail, it all begins with safety. The goal should always be to leave the trails and landscape better than you found it, and off-road safety is a huge part of that.

Adam Heggenstaller – Editorial Director, Game & Fish: In off-roading, the vehicle is only as good as the driver. That means it's up to you to learn the right techniques for navigating obstacles, the proper etiquette when on the trail, and the right way to treat the landscape and the resources that we are so fortunate to enjoy. All of this starts with being safe.

Travel Smart
Jeremy Templeman – Falken Tires: Off-road safety entails quite a few different things. First off, just traveling smart, knowing where you're going, planning that route. Off-roading inherently comes with some risks and how to mitigate those risks, knowing how to drive within your limits, and how to drive within your vehicle's limits. There's a lot of things that encompass off-road safety.

Airing Down Your Tires
Heggenstaller: Here's a simple tip for novice and experienced off-roaders alike. Always air down for better traction.

Templeman: Airing down your tires can make a huge difference in just about any off-road situation. It's going to help act as sort of a shock absorber of its own. So the lower you go in air pressure, the more rubber you're putting in contact on the ground kind of lengthwise, instead of just being this hard object that's only making contact at this one small point. It’s now kind of pliable and it's able to mold to the rock. You kind of have to judge how far you can air down. Kind of a general rule of thumb for something like this, around 20 psi is pretty safe.

Bring A Friend
Heggenstaller: In addition to airing down tires, another simple thing that makes off-roading more enjoyable and safer is to bring a friend along who can help you navigate tough terrain.

Templeman: Well, having a friend along in off-road situations definitely makes for a more enjoyable trip. Another set of eyes to help you down the trail is always a good thing. Whether it's just them poking their head out the side window and looking down and saying, yeah, you know what? You're clear over here. Or if they have to physically get out of the vehicle and kind of guide you through an obstacle.

Off-Road Etiquette
Heggenstaller: Just like other outdoor pursuits such as turkey hunting or trout fishing, there are certain rules and etiquette that should be observed when off-roading. Trails are meant for everyone to enjoy, and proper etiquette is well, only proper.

Templeman: A lot like off-road safety, off-road etiquette encompasses many things. One of them is staying on the trail. Just a couple feet off trail could be something that's considered environmentally sensitive. Going off trail causes damage, could make it look like it's the trail when it's not actually the trail. People could get lost. People could get hurt. There's a lot of reasons just to stay on the trail.

Templeman: Another part of off-road etiquette is yielding to traffic on the trail. A lot of that has to do with safety. Most trails aren’t two vehicles wide, so somebody is going to have to go around one another. So when you're in a four wheel vehicle, you typically yield to two wheel vehicles. If you're on a hill and there's a vehicle traveling down and one vehicle traveling up, the vehicle traveling up has the right of way in this scenario. When a large group approaches a small group on the same trail, it's easier for the small group to yield and let the larger group pass. Pedestrians and horses always get the right of way. Just slow down, nice and slow. Say hi and ask them how they're doing. Just treat others how you'd like to be treated.

Leave No Trace
Heggenstaller: Maybe the most important rule in off-roading is to leave the trail in the area better than how you found it. Pick up after yourself and others who unfortunately don't know any better. Respect the land and the opportunity that it provides.

Templeman: Definitely want to leave it better than you found it. You know, try to pick up after yourself. Pick up after others. Don't leave a trace behind. But that also goes with treading lightly. You don't need to spin the tires when you go around a turn. All it's doing is causing trail damage. You know, as long as you are respectful and take that vehicle and tread lightly, there will be an opportunity for future generations to do the same.

Conclusion
Heggenstaller: Know your capabilities. Air down. Don't take unnecessary risks. Be nice to other off-roaders and tread lightly. Keeping these things in mind will make your next off-roading experience much more enjoyable.