How to counter strong winds when driving a car...

[Elite Engineer]

When you're driving a car, and a big gust of wind slams into the side of your car (perpendicularly), what is the best method

 

to counteract the wind from moving or misdirecting your car? Should you increase

 

speed? Would this increase drag on the front of the car and increase friction at the wheels, hopefully overpowering the

 

perpendicular force of the wind? Or would slowing down help?... (obviously role down windows to reduce drag from the side

 

direction, but lets assume that has already been done).

 

-*NOTE* - by strong winds, I'm not referring to tornado magnitude winds, just really strong stormy winds, in which you're

 

inconveniently placed at a very high position on a road/ highway.

 

 

[Fuzzwood]

That round thing called a steering wheel is not an option?

[Greg H.]

Living in the Midwestern United States, this is a common problem with a common solution. Steer very slightly into the direction of the wind. It's like tacking a sailboat across the wind.

[Phi for All]

Depending on the vehicle, high winds can cause the body to lift slightly, reducing friction on the tires. I don't think speeding up helps that at all. And with all the dangers from other vehicles and debris during high wind, I think slowing down is always your best option.

 

Explain why rolling the windows down is an obvious choice, please. It seems like you'd just be creating more drag on the vehicle.

[Elite Engineer]

 

 

Explain why rolling the windows down is an obvious choice, please. It seems like you'd just be creating more drag on the vehicle.

I assume rolling down the window would cause less air to hit vehicle by simply flowing through, similar swinging a paddle with holes in it, compared to a solid paddle, the paddle with the holes moves throug the air much faster cause of less friction/drag..

[Phi for All]

I assume rolling down the window would cause less air to hit vehicle by simply flowing through, similar swinging a paddle with holes in it, compared to a solid paddle, the paddle with the holes moves throug the air much faster cause of less friction/drag..

 

Since you can't roll down the windshield and the back window, the idea is to make the air move around the car as efficiently as possible, as it moves forward. Opening windows on the side creates drag, even if wind is coming from that direction.

 

I recall reading about this in regard to fuel efficiency, and whether it's better to roll the windows down to cool the car or leave them up and use the air conditioning. It's better at low speeds to leave the windows down, but at about 45-50 mph the drag reduces fuel efficiency, and the faster you go with the windows down, the worse your mileage gets.