How to drive safely through a mountain road

If you enjoy driving, for sure you like driving through mountain passes. Our destinations, Alicante, Málaga, and specially, Mallorca, have a beautiful mountain landscape that you have to see if you come to visit.

However, driving through rugged terrain is not as easy as we think, and it’s good to follow a few recommendations so you are not afraid of our roads and feel confident about your driving, enjoying the view fully relaxed.

Driving during the ascent

Try to keep your speed steady and using the brakes the bare minimum. If you take advantage of the up gradient and the engine’s retention, the car will be able to naturally decelerate as you approach a curve. And if you find a very closed curve, slow down your gear to improve your power.

If you do this, you will avoid wearing down the brakes, and you will save fuel.

Driving during the descent

For descent driving you will also need to keep a steady speed, but in this case the key is not to press the gas pedal as much. Remember that this is the most dangerous moment of your path, but by using a low range for power reserve. By anticipating speed changes, you will not only keep saving fuel, but you will also see how you are much more relaxed while driving, which in turn will help you drive safely.

To descend on curves, as during the ascent, you will need to take them slowly. But during the descent we recommend you use the engine brake and retain the car with the pedal before you take the curve, and decrease the speed before entering it, as braking on a curve can reduce the adherence and create an oversteering.

Other mountain driving recommendations

Both while ascending as while descending, its very important to avoid driving on the opposite lane, because it’s dangerous for you and for the other drivers, even when you see no one coming. Cars and trucks both can step on the opposite lane while they are driving through a curve, and it’s important to take this into account given their poor visibility Sometimes it’s possible that you will run into unfavourable circumstances such as atmospheric conditions, like heavy rain (specially, during Spanish gota fría or cold front periods), with its consequent mud, landslides, fog and sometimes even ice and snow, so you should always have your chains with you on your truck, and have the adequate precautions by checking your car to make sure there will be no problem on your trip under these conditions. If there is also little lighting on the road, remember to take precautions and switch your headlights off when you see a vehicle in front of you.

Plus, on mountain roads it’s very possible to run into wild animals, so you have to be careful with your speed and pay attention to avoid accidents with them.

Another advice we have to give you is that, since mountain roads usually have poor visibility, we do not recommend you try overtaking other vehicles, and if you have to, you should wait until you reach an area with high visibility. If you are the one being overtaken, stay alert as a bad move from the other vehicle could lead to an accident that could take you off the road. We also recommend you remember to keep your tank full, since it’s harder to find gas stations on these roads, and again, to thoroughly check your car, since the high engine requirement of these roads makes it easier to have a breakdown on these trips. Thanks to our Full/Full policy and our deep checking for every vehicle, with Wiber Rent a Car you don’t have to worry about a thing before going on an adventure on a mountain road.

If you want to try these tips, we can recommend a few of the most interesting roads in Spain that you can visit and enjoy, or maybe you are more into a roadtrip that takes you from Málaga to Sierra Nevada, although for sure you will enjoy any of the roadtrips suggested on our blog. And, if you want to feel full peace of mind and get rid of any fear of driving, by renting with our All Inclusive rate you will have the support of a fully comprehensive insurance that will help you feel safe, since we will be there to help you out in case of need.

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