Off the Freeway and Into the Canyons

The region's canyon and mountain routes are among the best driving in the country, and their incident profile differs sharply from freeway driving.

Ortega Highway between Lake Elsinore and San Juan Capistrano. Angeles Crest above La Cañada. Malibu Canyon and Kanan Dume. Glendora Mountain Road, the 18 up to Big Bear, the South Grade climbing Palomar Mountain. People drive these on purpose, and they punish habits that work fine on a freeway.

The particular hazards

Blind curves with no sightline into oncoming traffic. Limited or absent shoulders. Rock and debris on the surface, especially after rain. Wildlife, particularly at dawn and dusk. Cyclists and motorcyclists sharing narrow lanes. Grade that heats brakes on long descents.

The two that catch experienced drivers are the decreasing-radius curve, which tightens after you have committed to a speed, and the gravel that washes to the base of a cut and settles on the outside of a bend after rain. Add cell coverage that disappears at the canyon floor.

The animal question

Hitting an animal is generally handled under comprehensive coverage rather than collision, which surprises people since it feels like a collision. It matters because the two often carry different deductibles. On canyon roads at dawn or dusk this isn't hypothetical.

Single-vehicle incidents

Going off the road, striking a rock, sliding on gravel. With no other party, your own collision coverage is what responds — and if you've dropped it on an older car, that's the moment you find out. Worth thinking about if these roads are part of your regular driving.

Getting recovered

A breakdown or an off-road incident in a canyon means a tow, and often a longer and more difficult one than on a freeway. This is the situation where roadside assistance coverage stops being a small convenience.

Recovery off a canyon road often needs a flatbed and sometimes a winch, and the truck comes from wherever it is. Roadside coverage differs a great deal on what it pays for: some policies cap the tow by distance, some by amount, some cover a winch-out and some do not.

Brakes on the descent

Riding the brakes down a long grade heats them until they fade. Lower gear, let the engine hold speed, use brakes in firm intermittent applications rather than constant pressure.

Before you go

Check that your coverage matches the driving you actually do. If canyon roads are routine for you, comprehensive, collision and roadside are worth a deliberate decision rather than a default.

Driving it for fun, and what the policy says

These roads attract people who enjoy driving, and that is where a personal auto policy starts to have opinions. Policies commonly exclude loss occurring during an organized race, a speed contest or a timed event, and many also exclude use of the vehicle on a track or course of any kind. Wording differs between carriers, so read yours and say out loud what you actually do with the car.

Modifications are the other half. Wheels, suspension, exhaust and engine work are often not covered at what you paid unless an endorsement lists them. Have that conversation before you spend the money.