482 5-5. Driving tips Off-road driving
When driving your vehicle off-road, please observe the following precautions to ensure your driving enjoyment and to help prevent the closure of areas to off-road vehicles:
• Drive your vehicle only in areas where off-road vehicles are permitted to travel.
• Respect private property. Get owner’ s permission before entering private property.
• Do not enter areas that are closed. Honor gates, barriers and signs that restrict travel.
• Stay on established roads. When conditions are wet, driving techniques should be changed or travel delayed to prevent damage to roads.
n Additional information for off-road driving
� For owners in U. S. mainland and Hawaii:
To obtain additional information pertaining to driving your vehicle off-road, consult the following organizations:
lState and Local Parks and Recreation Departments
lState Motor Vehicle Bureau lRecreational Vehicle Clubs
lU. S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management
WARNING n Off-road driving precautions Always observe the following precautions to minimize the risk of
death, serious injury or damage to your vehicle:
lDrive carefully when off the road. Do not take unnecessary
risks by driving in dangerous places.
lDo not grip the steering wheel
spokes when driving off-road. A bad bump could jerk the wheel
and injure your hands. Keep both hands and especially your thumbs on the outside of the rim.
lAlways check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driving in sand, mud, water or snow.
lAfter driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc., check that there is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or trapped on the underbody. Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the vehicle is used with these materials trapped or adhering to
the underbody, a breakdown or fire could occur.
lWhen driving off-road or in rugged terrain, do not drive at
excessive speeds, jump, make sharp turns, strike objects, etc. This may cause loss of control
or vehicle rollover causing death or serious injury. You are also risking expensive damage to your vehicle’ s suspension and chassis.