Over the winter, we covered safety tips for driving on snow and black ice. Thank goodness we don't have to talk about that anymore! Just because winter is over doesn't mean the weather ceases to cause safety hazards on the road, however. Rain can cause just as many problems as snow on the road, especially for commuters and those traveling on the freeway. In honor of our recent, much-needed Easter rains, let's look at a few ways to stay safe in rainy conditions.
Be extra careful of driving in the rain after a dry spell. Fumes and oil leaks that build up on dry pavement rise to the surface of the road when it rains, making the road far slicker than it may seem. If it hasn't rained in a while, this buildup gets extra thick and takes longer to wash away. It's always a good idea to take it extra careful under these conditions.
Beware of hydroplaning. When rain on the pavement is thick enough, it can cause cars to "float" on a layer of water rather than adhering to the pavement surface. The effect of hydroplaning is very similar to that of driving on black ice, only far easier to correct. Hydroplaning usually occurs when your vehicle is going relatively fast, so one way to avoid hydroplaning is to simply take it slow. When the unavoidable happens, however, simply let your foot off the gas and steer your vehicle straight until its tires come back in contact with the pavement. It should only take a few seconds, while braking can quickly cause you to lose control of the vehicle.
Don't rely on your car's brakes. Similar to driving on snow and ice, hard, fast braking is likely to cause more harm than good when driving in rain. Be sure to use slow, light braking only when necessary, using slow acceleration and steering to control your car. Heavy, sudden braking could induce hydroplaning or a spin.
Leave extra space between you and the cars around you. It's always a good idea to leave a good distance between you and the car in front of you, especially in freeway driving. Increasing that distance in rainy conditions allows you more time to react to potential problems. Here's a good rule of thumb: pick a landmark (like a road sign) up ahead beside the car in front of you, and count the number of seconds it takes for you to pass the same landmark. Under average freeway driving conditions, a safe count is five seconds. Under rainy conditions, it should be at least eight.
Keep tires and windshield wipers maintained. Poor visibility is often the most dangerous handicap when driving in the rain. A good set of soft rubber wipers and a windshield treatment (which causes water to bead) will do wonders for visibility, and they're cheap to have installed. Bald summer tires greatly reduce your car's traction in rainy weather, and they should be replaced with good all-weather tires. We keep summer, winter and all weather tires in stock to fit a range of budgets, and we're happy to replace old wipers at the cost of equipment. Just stop by and ask!
Thanks for stopping by. Safe driving!
