by Ethan Melandri

When the weather is warm and the sun shining, there is no better feeling than going for a pleasant drive in the countryside. The fresh air and scenery certainly beat the normal daily commute and if you are keen driver you can enjoy the performance of your car within the legal limits on relatively uncongested roads.

Unfortunately there is a threat when driving in the countryside, which is a significant cause of many accidents and it is called the tightening radius bend. Normally when you travel around a corner its radius stays relatively the same so once you have turned into the corner you very rarely have to increase the steering lock further. Tightening radius bends are different and require more steering lock the further into them you go.

A good illustration of this is when a car crashes because the driver did not properly reduce their speed or consider that the curve may change as the bend continues. Often times a corner will change in the bend, tightening and thus requiring a lower speed.

To try and stay on the road, the driver may change the wheel or steering lock, and unfortunately the speed is usually too much. This causes the car to be under steered. The driver may fight this feeling by hitting the brakes, which will worsen the condition. In this situation the vehicle will hit traffic coming down the other lane or it may wind up in a ditch.

Tightening radius bends are particularly hazardous in the countryside because the view through the bend can be obscured especially in the summer by hedges, trees or bushes. It is difficult to see all the way through the corner and an unsuspecting driver can easily be caught out.

If you want to avoid being a statistic you will want to use visual cues. Before entering a curve make sure you are going the proper speed by braking or if need be changing the gears.

Light poles or telephone poles are the best visual cues you have in regards to a curve that is obstructed. The poles can indicate a change is going to occur in the road, thus giving you warning. At night these types of cues can be difficult to see, so using an oncoming car's headlights for warning is also acceptable. You should enter a bend at a safe speed to remain on your side of the road and avoid an unbalanced car when you hit the middle of the curve.

After the curve begins to dissipate you will be able to increase your speed again. There are other dangers in the country besides bends in the road for you to be watchful of. Mud, slower moving vehicles, and even livestock can create accidents. If you think "What If" when driving, you could avoid an accident.

About the Author:
If you want to make good progress when driving on country roads at night you are going to need very good bulbs to cut through the darkness. Upgrade headlight bulbs like the Osram Nightbreaker range will improve the light output from your headlights and are completely road legal.

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