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.

The typical example of a crash caused by a tightening radius bend is a when the driver turns into a corner at a speed they think suitable for the conditions and corner type, but mid way through the bend significantly tightens.

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.

When you cannot view the curve check for telephone poles or light posts, which can signify a change in the road is about to occur. When driving at night using an oncoming cars light beams can work as a guide. You want to enter any bend at a speed you can safely stop with to ensure you do not unbalance your vehicle.

Once the bend starts to open out again and you can see clearly ahead you can begin to accelerate. Remember driving in the countryside holds other hazards for unsuspecting drivers, like slippery mud on the road, slow moving tractors and errant livestock. So always think “what if” when deciding on the appropriate speed for a bend.

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