Off Road Recovery
If you are involved in a situation where driving off the road is your only option of avoiding a collision, or you have driven off the shoulder, follow the steps listed below to return to the roadway:
- Hold the steering wheel firmly (on the top) half with both hands. The greater the drop-off between roadway and shoulder, the greater amount of steering control you need. Keep your vehicle heading straight toward your target.
- Ease up on the accelerator and all the vehicle to slow down gradually. Avoid braking, if possible.
- Position your vehicle so it straddles the roadway edge.
- Select a place to return to the roadway, where the shoulder is nearest the level of the roadway.
- Check for traffic. Signal, check your blind spot, and return to the roadway.
- Steer sharply toward the roadway to return. If the drop-off is severe, you might need to slow more and turn very sharply to get back onto the pavement.
- Counter-steer sharply the instant the front tires touch the roadway. You counter-steer when you steer in the opposite direction.
- Center the vehicle in the lane closest to where you left the roadway and re-establish your target. Cancel your signal. Accelerate to match the flow of traffic.