Sand driving is not everyone’s cup of tea as it is pretty different from highway driving. You need to follow some tricks and techniques to get better at driving on Sand. If you drive as usual on sandy tracks, you will undoubtedly face difficulties while driving.
So, what are the tricks and techniques of driving on sand? And how to prevent mishaps from happening? This article answers all these questions and everything you need to know about driving on sandy terrain.
Table of Contents
Things to Consider before Driving on Sand
Summer is here, and you would want to go on a beach holiday with your family and friends. But before you plan to go on sand driving, you need to consider a few things about your vehicle and other surrounding factors.
Choosing Right Tires for the Vehicle
Your regular road tires are not entirely suitable for driving on sand. There is a high chance of getting stuck and facing other difficulties while driving with highway tires.
Consider using all-terrain tires or any other high-quality sand tires instead. They will help you with hassle-free and comfortable driving on the beach or other places covered with sand.
Reducing Tire Pressure
Tires having larger footprints run well on sand surfaces. If you air down the tires to reduce tire pressure, the tires will be less firm, expand more, and have larger tire footprints.
So, just let out some air from your vehicle tires, and decrease and keep the pressure between 15 and 22 psi before going.
Carrying Necessary Things
There is no guarantee that you will not end up having any difficulty while driving on the sand. So, it is better to carry a few things in case of an emergency.
Things such as a shovel, traction mat, tow straps, and ropes will come in handy if your vehicle gets stuck on the sand.
Sand Driving Tricks
Be sure to apply the following techniques to get a less hassle driving experience.
Speed and Momentum
While driving on a sandy surface, gear up your vehicle’s momentum thoroughly, and do not let the speed go down. This will make the tires produce more power for easy driving.
Continuous motion and constant speed turns are essential when you are trying to climb up. Your vehicle will sink into the sand if you cannot maintain constant speed and momentum.
Changing Gears
If you can’t maintain the momentum, it is a good decision to change the gears. Often it is hard to speed up near sand holes and uneven surfaces that make the wheels get trapped in the sand.
Your vehicle might get stuck in this case. Changing gears will allow you to maximize the torque and maintain the necessary momentum.
Stopping for a while
When you stop your vehicle, control the speed so that there is minimal sand in front of the tires. This will enable you to restart easier without being stuck in a mini sandhill.
Try to stop where the sand surface is facing downhill rather than an upper hill. Gravity will help maintain momentum by pulling the vehicle down.
Spotting Washouts and Erosion
It is difficult to spot small sandhills, washouts, holes, and erosion in the sand during sunny days. If you cannot notice these, you can get into those disruptions and even end up causing an accident.
Use polarized sunnies to spot things more clearly and sharply as sunnies remove the sun glare effectively.
Driving on Dunes
You need to check the structure and size of the dune. While going up the dune, do not lose your momentum and drive straight upward with your vehicle speeded up. After reaching the top, get down and scrutinize the downward track carefully.
While going down the dune, never use breaks and keep the vehicle in second or third gear. Slow down the speed until you reach the end of the dune. At this point, accelerate to avoid getting stuck in the edge of the dune.
Unstuck the Vehicle
Getting stuck in the sand is the worst nightmare for anyone. If this happens, don’t just panic and take action immediately.
Stop the vehicle and dig out the sand around the tires. Get a traction mat or cardboard to put tightly between the tire and sand surface. Now, pull the vehicle forward that will get you unstuck.
Things You Should Not Do While Driving on Sand
You should take care of some things that you need to avoid while driving on the sand. Because these will worsen your driving experience, and you might get stuck in a difficult situation.
Sudden Acceleration
Avoid sudden acceleration on your vehicle. Take time to increase the speed and maintain the momentum.
Driving Too Close to the Edge
If you drive too close to the edge, the sand might get compressed. As a result, the vehicle will go down when you have no control over the speed and have a serious accident.
Turning Sharply
With the reduced tire pressure, sudden and sharp turns can be dangerous as they might result in rollover and separation of tires from vehicle rim. While taking turns, slow down a bit and take wider arcs.
Using Brakes
When you need to stop the vehicle, slow down and take some time to come to a standstill. Do not take brakes as they can cause difficulty while starting over.
Accelerate while Being Stuck
While you are stuck in the sand, acceleration will spin the tires unnecessarily and make your tires go deeper. So, just make the vehicle stand still; rather, try to move the vehicle back and forth.
Final Words
Driving on Sand can be uncertain sometimes as you might face some situations you could’ve never imagined. So, it’s a bit tricky for both beginner and professional drivers.
Hopefully, with the above guidelines and tips, you will have a safe and comfortable adventure while driving on sand.