Joy Onuorah

Avoid hydroplaning

The term hydroplaning refers to when your tires lose traction with the road due to excess water on top of the road. The result is that your vehicle begins to slide.

Incase of hydroplaning, let off the accelerator (gas pedal) slowly, and steer straight until you regain control. If your car starts to spin, turn your wheel in the direction that the vehicle is spinning, slowly. 

Do not turn your wheel against the direction it has begun to spin. Do not jerk the wheel sharply in one direction or the other, as you could flip your car due to over correction. Although there are many variables that determine whether or not your vehicle will hydroplane, vehicles can hydroplane at even low speeds.

Brake slowly

Try to slow your vehicle by taking your foot off the accelerator earlier than you normally would in preparation to slow down or stop. Don’t use cruise control so your attention on using both the gas and brake are in tune.You should never slam on the brakes, but this is especially true when driving on wet roads.

Turn on your wipers

Wipers should be checked regularly and replaced as soon as the need arises as a wiper with damaged blades will slack in cleaning the windscreen properly.

Don’t be afraid to use the windscreen washers liberally: the fluid is cheap (99 cents a gallon) and the safety benefit is high. Carry extra during the winter. Avoid following large trucks or busses closely. 

Splash and spray from these vehicles can obscure your vision, creating a potentially disastrous driving situation. Keep your distance, and your windshield wipers on, when other traffic is in front of you.

Avoid standing water

Never drive through moving water if you can’t see the ground through it: you and your car could be swept off the road, possibly finishing you both. Stop the car before entering the flooded area and check the water level ahead.

Generally, if the water is deeper than the bottom of your doors or the bottom third of your wheels, it is inadvisable to attempt driving through it. Seek a detour rather than braving the flood and risking damage to your electronic control systems. Attempting to go through deep water can ruin any of these systems, creating a repair bill in the thousands of dollars.

Turn on headlights

Turning on headlights when visibility is low is of immense importance, and many states also require having the headlights on when the windshield wipers are in use. A wiper in perfect condition and relatively new (not threadbare) tires are must-haves when driving in rain, especially when driving at high speeds on the highway.

Reduce your speed

A slow drive is advised during rainy days. Although sometimes motorists don’t abide by this rule they end up splashing water on other road users. Not only should you adhere to the posted speed limit when driving in wet weather conditions, but you should also drive considerably slower than you normally would.

Wet roads are very dangerous. Your vehicle’s reaction time is much slower when it is raining. Reduced speed is imperative in rainy weather. Speed limits are set for ideal weather conditions, not wet and slippery roadways.

Check your car tyres

Ensure to check the tread of your vehicle’s tires. Balding tires can severely reduce traction on wet roadside.