How To Prevent Your Car From Sliding Down The driveway?
The walk-in drive scenario is the new walk-away drive scenario for car owners. You no longer have to worry about your car backing into the house; now, you have to worry about it back out.
It’s not as easy as it sounds, though. It would be best to make sure that the entrance to your garage is secure, that the angle is right, and that your driveway is as level as possible.
Have you ever had to pull your car into a higher garage than it should be? It’s happened to all of us, and it’s generally not pretty. Your car can back out of the garage the same way. Follow these steps to prevent this from happening to prevent your car from sliding down the driveway.
Here are some tips on how to keep your car from sliding down the driveway
Table of Contents
Secure The Door
For your car to stay put in the garage, it must be securely latched. Windows and doors should be securely clamped shut, and the handle should be pulled straight back to lock it in place.
If the door is not securely latched, your car could back out while you’re driving. To keep your car from sliding out while driving, you need to secure the door.
There are many ways to go about this. You can use an extra-wide door chain, an anchorage strap, or an O-ring. The ideal setup will keep your doors securely latched while still allowing you to turn the key in the lock and open the door with ease.
An anchorage strap is a quick and easy solution if you don’t have time to mess with door chains, straps, or O-rings.
Cut a strip about 3/4-inch wide, depending on the thickness of your door and add-on items. Put an eyelet in one end, and thread the strap through the door and up the other side. When you’re done, your door should look something like this.
Make Sure Your Garage Door Is Closed
Some cars have a door that slides open by itself when the car reaches a certain speed. This is called a “door opening” speed, and it’s usually higher than the “parking brake” setting on your car.
If your garage door opener speed is higher than the “parking brake” setting on your car, the door will easily open while your car is in motion. It’s a good idea to close the garage door when you’re not using it so that you don’t accidentally have the door open while you’re in the car.
Make Sure Your Garage Is Wide Enough
If your car is tall enough always to need to be in the garage, you’re doing it wrong. Tall cars have difficulty maneuvering through tight spaces, and short, tight spaces require short, wide paths.
If you have a long car (more than 6 feet), your garage is probably too narrow. A wide garage (at least 8 feet) helps prevent this and gives your car room to move.
If you can’t do anything about the length of your garage, try to make sure that the garage is as wide as possible.
Taller homes on smaller lots often have smaller garages. The access and use of the garage are often related to how large the home is.
A small garage may be fine; on a small lot with a tall house, the garage may be too small. A small garage does not leave enough room for your car to move in either case.
On the other hand, a large garage is rarely wide enough. Try to make your garage at least as wide as possible to accommodate your car.
Make Sure Your Car Is Properly Aligned
All drivers know that driving a car upside down is a no-no, but doing it sideways across a lawn is even more. Your car should be parallel to the direction you’re traveling when you drive it that way.
If it’s not parallel to the direction you’re traveling, the wheels will be off-kilter. This will cause your car to slide, and it will be far less predictable in the driveway.
If you keep your car’s alignment good even when the car is in motion, your car will stay in perfect alignment when you’re parked.
Avoid Parking In Curves
This one’s important, guys. If you have to turn or maneuver your car into a curve, your driveway is probably too low. Your car should be level when you’re stationary, but it has to be higher when you’re moving. This is because curved driveways usually have more standing water than a level driveway.
If you have to navigate a driveway that’s too low, then water will flow back and forth between the layers of asphalt and mud, and your car will slide. Your best bet is to park your car in the middle of the lane to avoid runoff from either side.
You Also Need A Level Driveway
If your driveway is not level, it will cause your car to slide. The most common cause of this is a slope of more than 6 degrees. The angle of your driveway is the most important thing you can do to keep your car from sliding.
It needs to be as low as possible without being vertical. Try to keep your driveway as level as possible.
Even with the most careful leveling, a few degrees can go long. If your driveway is within 6 or 9 degrees vertical, your car will slide. A few degrees can make a big difference.
Final Words
Well, there you have it. Those were important and helpful tips to keep your car from sliding down the driveway. With a few adjustments, you should be able to keep your car from making this unfortunate mistake.
Your car is an investment, and it should be treated as such. It’s not just the cost of maintenance that you need to keep in mind; the depreciation that comes with time will also affect the value of your car throughout the years.
Keeping your car in top working order will help it retain its value and help you make fewer payments throughout your car’s life.
We hope these tips help you stay on track and prevent this unfortunate mistake from happening to you.