If you are a driver, you are bound to be sensitive to adverse weather conditions. When you are confronted with extreme or severe weather conditions, the best practice is not to leave home if the trip is not necessary. You should delay the errand or cancel it altogether if possible. Still, if you have to attend to some urgent business, it is prerequisite that you take appropriate measures while driving. When driving in the pouring rain, there are several actions you must know how to execute correctly. After all, you aim to reach your destination safely.
One of the most common adverse weather conditions that drivers tend to face is heavy rain. Torrential downpours that block the visibility and flood the streets can cause fatal accidents, and you must follow these safety tips to be driving safely in the rain.
Safety Tips to Follow While Driving In Rain
- Turn on your windshield wipers and activate low beams to make sure that you are able to see other vehicles and vice versa. Some countries enforce a regulation that the windshield wiper must be working when the low beams are on. Obey the law to save yourself and others from impending danger.
- Increase the following distance to be safe. Slick surfaces like rain-drenched roads require special attention on your part while driving. Wet roads delay the impact of the brake, and the car takes more time than regular to come to a complete halt. When you put more distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you, it allows you to identify any hazardous situation from beforehand so that you can react to it more efficiently.
- Reduce the speed of your car. The speed limit set for average weather conditions will be reduced in case of slippery and wet roadways. Over-confidence leads to speeding and in turn, causes hydroplaning. According to a blog run by a Melbourne based Driving School, hydroplaning is a layer of water that forms between your tyres and the road, and it can adversely affect braking and steering functions of your car. Therefore, it is necessary that you reduce the speed to have complete control over your vehicle.
- Hit the brake smoothly. You should never hit the brakes with too much pressure, more so when driving on a slippery road. You should apply the braking mechanism slowly, gently, and early to have control over the steering wheel. Also, avoid abrupt lane changes.
- Steer clear of standing water. This may sound pretty easy, but at night, it may be more than a little difficult to spot them early. You should pay attention to the road, scan ahead, and discern where water may be accumulated. Does one lane appear more watery than the other? Is water welling up on one side of the road? The rule of thumb is to avoid side lanes as they are more prone to water accumulation.
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