If you are used to driving a sedan, the thought of driving an SUV might be scary to think about. However, if you know what you should do when you drive an SUV it won’t feel like such an unnatural thing to do.
SUVs initially feel harder to drive than cars due to their larger size, making navigating tight areas such as parking lots more complex. Their heavier weight and higher ride height also make them less responsive to handling than smaller, more agile cars.
If you want to find out more about why SUVs are not harder to drive, and how you should drive while in an SUV, then keep reading.
Differences Between SUVs and Sedans
When you are driving a different vehicle than what you are used to, it might be a bit nerve-wracking for the first time.
However, though you shouldn’t feel nervous about driving an SUV, there are a few reasons why you might find it a little intimidating. SUVs are much bigger than other vehicles, which makes them different to drive.
A larger vehicle can feel intimidating because you have to think about making wider turns to accommodate for the longer body, and driving at a slower speed and allowing more room between vehicles so that you have enough room to stop.
Because of these differences, it might be tough to get used to driving this type of vehicle. But, once you have some practice, you will see that there is not that much to get used to.
Plus, we have a few suggestions about how to drive when in an SUV so that you stay safe and secure while you are on the road.
Things You Should Know Before Driving an SUV
Although driving an SUV is not hard, you should know that driving an SUV is different than driving a sedan and needs to be treated so. There are some safety hazards that you want to account for when you are behind the wheel of one of these large vehicles.
First, you should know about the dangers that come with driving an SUV. Because of the larger size, an SUV does come with a higher risk of turnover.
If you are in a terrible accident, the chances of flipping the car are increased with a vehicle that sits higher than others. So, this is one reason that you will want to adjust your speed when driving this vehicle.
An SUV also comes with more visibility than sedans. This can make you feel in more control of the road, but also comes with potential blind spots.
You’ll need to remain conscious of what is going on around you as your vehicle is much larger than those potentially around you.
Tips for driving an SUV
When you are driving an SUV, you need to know that there are a few adjustments that you need to make in order to stay safe when on the road.
These methods should be used when driving so you drive properly for the vehicle you are in.
1. Steer Smoothly and Slowly
An SUV is not meant to withstand quick movements and this should be kept in mind. You will want to make sure to steer slowly to ensure that you don’t roll over.
This can happen fairly easily when you are going at high speeds and can be mostly avoided by staying at slower speeds. This is especially important around corners where the most danger is.
So, make sure that you stay at a reasonable speed at all times and don’t make any sudden movements on the road to remain as safe as possible.
2. Keep a Bigger Distance Between Vehicles
When you are in a larger vehicle like an SUV, you want to ensure that you leave enough space between vehicles so that you have time to brake.
A larger and heavier vehicle needs more time and space to brake to ensure that you slow down in time so you don’t hit the car in front of you.
This is something that you need to take precautions for when in inclement weather because this could be more dangerous when the roads are wet.
You could end up slipping or sliding on the road and slide into another vehicle, so you need to keep a bigger distance between the vehicle in front of you.
3. Secure Your Cargo
When you are driving an SUV, you will have a lot more cargo space in the interior. This could make it easy to toss a few items in the back without securing them.
However, this is a safety hazard, especially on the freeway when you’re driving at high speeds. You wouldn’t want a bag or item to be thrown forward when you have to make a sudden stop.
This could be dangerous for the driver and the passengers because they could be injured by being hit by the bag or item. So, you should make sure that you secure all your items before you head out on the road so that both you and all your passengers will be safe.
Also, you should only place items on the roof when you absolutely have to. Securing things to the roof makes the SUV top-heavy, which can increase the chance of a rollover.
This will change the center of gravity and make it more unstable, which requires you to drive even more carefully. So, it is best to keep all your cargo secured inside the vehicle as much as possible and only place things on the roof when you have no other option.
4. Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated
When you have tires that are not fully inflated, this increases the chances of your vehicle losing traction on the road and going out of control. This could cause an accident, which could injure a pedestrian or another driver.
So, you need to check your ideal tire pressure by taking a look at your owner’s manual to see what numbers should be the best inflation level.
Once you find out that number, you can inflate your tires to that level. Just remember to continually check your tires to ensure that they remain at that level and don’t go below that number.
This will ensure that they have the most traction and will not cause you to lose control while you’re on the road.
5. Be Cautious When You Tow
When you are driving an SUV, you need to be very cautious if you decide to tow something behind you. Adding more weight to an already heavy vehicle will make it much more difficult to drive and cause you to be more careful on the road.
You will need to drive even slower with more weight and start braking farther back behind vehicles to ensure that you don’t hit them.
You should also be more careful around corners and sharp turns as you will need to slow down significantly to avoid losing control of the vehicle.
6. Check Your Surroundings
With an SUV’s height, you will not have the same visibility as a smaller vehicle. This will make it difficult to see the items and people around you that are lower to the ground.
This can be dangerous with children or toys around and could cause you to hit a small item or child that is near the vehicle.
This could be fatal for a small child, and you could break an important item that you and your family needs, so it is extremely important that you are sure of your surroundings before you start the vehicle.
You should take a look behind you to ensure that nothing and no one is behind the vehicle, and move anything out of the way before you start the car so that you won’t run over or damage anything as you back up.
Conclusion on are SUVs harder to drive
Driving an SUV shouldn’t be intimidating, but the large size and heaviness of the vehicle can make it hard to stomach when you haven’t driven one of these vehicles before.
But, as long as you use caution and stay aware of your surroundings, you will be able to drive an SUV without any issue.
SUVs are not that different to drive than a sedan, so you shouldn’t feel like they are hard to drive. However, as a different vehicle, you need to take certain precautions to ensure that you are being safe on the road.
An SUV is not hard to drive when you adjust your speed, make sure your cargo is secured in your interior, be cautious when you tow, and check all of your surroundings before you take off.
After you follow these few recommendations of how you should drive when in an SUV, you will be able to drive this vehicle without any problems, and without feeling like it is difficult.
