The last time you found yourself out driving in the rain, did you notice more accidents than usual? If you did it’s probably because nearly half of car accidents related to weather are due to… RAIN. Lately, we’ve experienced more than our share of the wet, messy stuff so it is important to take precautions to avoid such accidents. We don’t want to experience the injuries which can occur nor do we want our insurance rates to rise. Some good advice for driving in the rain follows:
Rain combined with speed is definitely not a good thing. Tires lose traction on wet pavement so slow down.
Keep your eyes on the road and avoid water which has pooled on the pavement. Look ahead and change lanes if needed. When you hit standing water on the road, you can hydroplane very quickly and easily. The standing water also may hide dangerous potholes from view.
Give the vehicle in front of you plenty of extra room and increase your following distance. This may reduce your need to brake suddenly due to wet road conditions.
We live in Texas. When it rains after a long, dry and hot spell, road conditions may be slick due to grease build-up on the roads. This, combined with the rain, may cause a very slippery surface so exercise plenty of caution.
During rain, don’t turn on that cruise control. The road in front of you needs your complete attention and reaction time may be slowed if using your cruise control. This is also true when driving in icy conditions.
Make sure those windshield wipers are replaced when necessary. Have them checked on a regular basis. You don’t want to get caught in blinding rain with wipers that don’t work efficiently.
Often, precipitation can cause your windshield to fog up quickly. This may sound simple, but know where the controls are located to defog your windows, both front and rear.
Keep your hands on the steering wheel and your focus on the road. The phone call or text can wait.
If you do experience hydroplaning, don’t brake or turn the steering wheel sharply. Take your foot off the gas pedal and keep the wheel straight until you regain traction. Then you may gently brake if needed.
We have inclement weather expected this winter. We want you to keep your family and your auto safe when driving in it!
