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Safe Driving: How to Back Out of a Kill Zone

Tips on backing a car out of kill zones and other dangerous situations

By Tony Scotti

December 01, 2005 — CSO —

Backing up fast is hard and, if not done correctly, dangerous. Cars are designed to go forward, not backward. Automobile suspensions possess a quality known as caster, the force that gives the car stability going forward and helps to straighten out the front wheels after turning a corner. Unfortunately, this same force destabilizes the car in reverse, and the tires won't straighten themselves out after turns.

Once you loosen your grip, the steering wheel stays in its last position. There is nothing you can do about caster. You need to understand that it's there, live with it and learn to control it.

So, before you find yourself in a dangerous place needing to leave very fast, practice backing up, paying attention to the following tips.

1. Disarm the governor. Some European vehicles have a device called a governor that limits reverse speed. Find out if you have one before you're in the stuff. As a test, put the vehicle in reverse and accelerate; if the engine misfires at around 10 mph, it's got a governor. Don't use this vehicle in a high-risk zone.

2. Tape the steering wheel. With the front wheels pointed straight, put a piece of tape on the top of the steering wheel. When it's time to back up, put your hand on the tape and lock your arm. The tape will provide a reference point for straight if you start to lose control. (Nascar drivers do this.)

3. Practice throwing blind. Take time to practice moving the gear lever from drive to reverse and reverse to drive without looking. It may seem trivial, but not having to look buys you precious time and helps you avoid accidentally shifting into park, neutral or a low gear.

It may seem trivial, but not having to look buys you precious time.

4. Practice with heavy loads. Why? Because vehicles in high-risk zones are often heavily loaded in the back or laden with armor, which makes them less stable when backing up.

Once you're in the stuff and you need to back up out of a high-risk zone, use the following techniques.

1. Just go. Put as much distance between you and the kill zone as possible by backing up straight as fast as you can and as far as you can. Backing up at 30 mph creates 45 feet of distance between you and the enemy every second. Three seconds takes you 135 feet away from the problem. But if you contemplate your navel for 1.5 seconds, you have given up about 68 feet of space. Even if there is an opportunity to turn in a short distance, don't. Turning slows you down and exposes your broadside.