Driving on mountains: Lower gears, full tank, engine braking

BERLIN: Driving on steep, high-altitude roads is uncharted territory for many drivers.

In these conditions, you need to be especially careful and anticipatory while easing off on the accelerator. You'll find yourself riding the brakes a lot, especially on long descents and the tortuous roads that wend through mountain passes.

A major safety inspection agency, Tuv Sud, offers the following general tips.

Use engine braking: This helps prevent brakes from overheating or even failing entirely. When descending after an uphill climb, drivers should downshift into the same gear they used during sections with a similar incline on the way up.

For cars with automatic transmissions, the driver should, if possible, downshift into lower gears.

Some mountain roads have tight curves and rocky outcrops that make it hard to see oncoming cars or where the road turns next.

Let tailgaters pass: If you have to cut around mountain curves or can hear your car’s tyres squeal on a dry road, you are already driving too fast. On an icy road - even if it has been salted to melt the surface snow - you'll have to drive even slower.

If you have a pushy tailgater behind you - often a local who treats the daily drive as a race - or if you feel uneasy - for example, at the head of a convoy - simply move over to the side at a wide place and slow down to let the other drivers pass.

Keep the tank full: In the mountains, fuel consumption increases noticeably and petrol stations are scarce, so you should always be sure to fill up when you have a chance, and certainly before starting an ascent.

Different engine starts: In the thin mountain air, some cars can have problems starting; even so, according to the safety inspection agency, this is quite rare due to modern fuel injection systems.

However, it might still be necessary for owners of certain cars to push the accelerator pedal down halfway or even completely when attempting a cold start at high altitude. In case of any doubts, drivers should refer to the car’s owner’s manual.