Rain driving tips
These tips will keep you and your passengers safe on wet roads.
1. Routinely check your tyres
Always check your tyres before you hit the road.
Make sure you do the following routine maintenance:
Keep your tyres properly inflated.
Check the tyre treads depth.
Proper tread depth will help prevent skids and aquaplaning.
2. Slow down
As rain falls, it mixes with grime and oil on the road creating slick conditions perfect for skids.
The best way to avoid skidding is to slow down.
Driving at a slower pace allows more of the tyre tread to make contact with the road, which leads to better traction.
3. Know how to recover from a skid
Skids can happen even to the most cautious drivers.
If your car does skid, remember not to slam on the brakes.
Do not pump the brakes if you have an anti-lock braking system (ABS).
Instead, apply firm, steady pressure to the brakes and steer the car in the direction of the skid.
4. Keep your distance from the car ahead
Wet-weather driving demands gentle use of all the main controls – steering, clutch, brake and accelerator.
When you begin a journey in rain, your shoes will be wet and can easily slip off the pedals.
Scuff the soles on the rubber matting or carpeting of the car before you start the engine.
Regularly check that headlights, rear lights, brake lights and turn indicators are working properly.
It takes about three times longer to break on wet roads than on dry roads.
Keep a little more than two car lengths between you and the vehicle in front of you.
5. If the rain becomes too heavy, stop!
Heavy rain can overload the wiper blades, allowing an almost continuous sheet of water to flow over the screen.
When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up.
Keep your headlights on and turn on your hazard warning lights to alert other drivers.
6. Don’t drive while fatigued
Stop at least every couple of hours or every hundred miles to rest. – goodyear.eu