It’s no surprise that about 77% of all weather-related accidents happen on wet pavements, with 47% of those happening while it’s raining. Most, if not all, drivers hate driving on wet roads, but it’s something they have to do.
If you’re like most drivers, you’ll simply slow down while driving in the rain, which is fine. But what happens when you’re late for work or something of the sort?
Today, we’ll be highlighting a couple of safety tips for a rainy drive to keep accidents at bay.
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10 Safety Tips Before Taking a Rainy Drive
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Wait Until the Weather Improves
The first tip for taking a rainy drive is to not take a drive at all. We don’t advise driving in the rain unless you absolutely have to. If you must drive in the rain, wait until it subsides before hopping into your car.
Consider other alternatives to driving, like hailing a taxi or an Uber instead. Regardless of what you choose, avoid driving in the rain unless it’s urgent.
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Drive Slowly
As mentioned above, slowing down is an excellent way to ensure safety while driving in the rain. Observe all the speed limits, and even drive slower than the speed limit.
Rain obscures your vision, making it a lot harder to see the road ahead. What’s more, wet roads are super slippery, and it’s easy for your vehicle to veer out of control. Driving slowly ensures you have enough reaction time to react to unexpected events.
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Turn on Your Headlights
Turning on the headlights during the rain helps sidestep road accidents in two ways. First, it helps improve the driver’s road visibility. Secondly, it helps motorists see each other through the rain torrents.
Whenever it starts raining, turn on your low-beam headlights. Don’t use high beams unless you want to blind other drivers on the road. Turning on the headlights will go a long way towards improving road safety during rainy drives.
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Keep Your Car in Tip-Top Shape
It’s important to keep your car in pristine condition all the time, and not just during the rainy season. You don’t want to find out your windshield wipers don’t work in the middle of a heavy downpour. The same goes for your headlights and your brakes.
That said, check your wiper blades for any wear and whether they still work. If they’re too worn, consider replacing them with new ones. Also, check the level of washer fluid and top it up if it’s almost empty, in the event that dirty water splashes onto your windshield.
Also, do a thorough cleaning of the outside and inside of your windshield. You can use one of the many window cleaning products to ensure the windows remain squeaky clean.
Lastly, check the wipers, headlights, tire treads, and turn signals before hitting the road. Make sure everything works fine and the tire treads aren’t too worn out for a safe drive. If any of these parts has a problem, take the car for repairs, before driving in the rain.
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Avoid Hitting the Brakes too Hard
Don’t hit the brakes too hard to avoid skidding and hitting another car or object. Before braking, lift your foot off the accelerator early enough. This will allow the car to slow down, so you can gently step on the brakes and stop the car.
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Don’t Drive in Deep Puddles
Avoid driving in puddles that are too deep, especially over long distances. It’s easy to lose control of your vehicle when driving in puddles. As little as three inches of water can make your vehicle skid out of control.
Avoid any water puddles or road depressions with water. Sometimes, puddles may be a lot deeper than you think. If water gets into your fuel system, it can lead to a hydro lock and make your engine stall.
Avoid puddles at all costs, even when you think you can drive over them. Driving in puddles will only damage your car and lead to expensive repairs.
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Understand the Roads in Your Region
Different roads can withstand different weather conditions. While some roads are a mess during the rain, others can handle anything the elements throw at them.
It’s important to understand the different road types available in your region. That way, you can choose a route with “drivable” roads that leads to your destination. Drive safely in the rain by understanding the different types of roads and routes available.
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Keep a Reasonable Distance Between the Car Infront
Ensure you maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you. Keep at least 8 seconds between you and the car ahead of you. This will give you ample reaction time and stopping distance even if the car skids.
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Keep Your Car Well Ventilated
Humidity levels skyrocket every time it rains. That’s why your car’s windows become foggy whenever you drive in the rain. Your car’s AC will have an option that helps clear up the fog on your window.
However, the easiest way to reduce the windows’ fogginess is to open up the windows slightly. Use this in conjunction with the AC for the greatest effect. If the fog obscures the road’s visibility, it might be necessary to pull over and clear the fog before continuing.
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Steer to the Direction You Want to Go When Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning occurs when traversing through puddles and the car gets into more water than it can scatter. It’s easy to lose control when the car hydroplanes, but remember to steer the car in the direction you’re heading. It might take quite a few turns, but once you get the direction, hold it.
Also, avoid stepping on the gas while hydroplaning to maintain full control of the car. Truck drivers who get into accidents because of wet conditions can talk to a truck accident attorney. Attorneys can help them get started with and process their claims to get fair compensation.
Safe Driving Tips for Your Rainy Drive
Next time you’re prepping for a rainy drive, be sure to keep the above driving safety tips in mind. Now that you know how to drive safely in the rain, it’s time to hit the road. But only if you have to.
Check out the other posts on the site for more informative content.