Wet weather brings more crashes. That is a fact. To help make yourself safer and reduce the chances of crashing your car follow this list of safety precautions:
Start with the tires by making sure there is good tread by using the indicator bars and a good visual check. Be sure the tire inflation is at the recommended pressure. Normally, you can find that on the placard on the inside of the driver's door.
Next, if your windshield wipers leave streaks it's a good time to replace them.
Headlights and taillights should also be checked, to make sure they work properly.
When the road is wet, the film of the water on the asphalt causes tires to lose traction. Less obvious is the fact that rain reduces driver perception — it's harder to see through the rain — and also decreases visibility through its action on headlights, windshields and the road itself.
Exercise extreme caution right after a long dry spell. During a dry period, engine oil and grease build up on the road over time. When mixed with water from a new rainfall, the road becomes extremely slick. Continued rainfall will eventually wash away the oil, but the first few hours are the most dangerous.
Allow for more travel time. You should plan to drive at a slower pace than normal when the roads are wet. Keep in mind that traffic is likely to be moving slower as well. There's also the possibility that your preplanned route may be flooded or jammed. Whatever the case, rushing equals higher risk. You can check the home page of our website for Cal Trans road conditions/closures.
Brake earlier and with less force than you would normally. Not only does this increase the stopping distance between you and the car in front of you, it also lets the driver behind you know that you're slowing down. Also, be more scrupulous about using turn signals, so that other drivers know your intentions, and take turns and curves with less speed than you would in dry conditions.
Most roads are crowned in the middle, which means that the water will run off to the sides. If possible, stay toward the middle of the road to avoid deep standing puddles.
Don't use cruise control in the rain. If you hydroplane, there's the chance your car could actually accelerate. Cruise control also allows drivers to be less vigilant and to take their foot away from the pedals — not a great idea when reaction time is so important. If you start to hydroplane, don't brake suddenly or turn the wheel, or you might spin into a skid. Release the gas pedal slowly and steer straight until the car regains traction.
If you see a large puddle up ahead, drive around it or choose a different route. It could be that it's covering a huge hole in the road, water splashing up into your car's engine compartment could damage its internal electrical systems. Also, a pothole may be hiding under the water, just waiting in ambush to damage a wheel or knock your suspension out of alignment. If you can't gauge the depth, or if it's covering up the side curb, try to avoid it.
Don't attempt to cross running water. All-wheel drive isn't going to be much help if your vehicle is being pushed sideways. Don't end up like those folks on the nightly news who had to abandon their cars due to Mother Nature.
Turn on your headlights, even when there's a light sprinkle. It helps you see the road, and more importantly, it helps other motorists see you. However, don't blast your high beams in the rain or fog — it'll obscure your view further, as the light will reflect back at you off the water droplets in the air. If your car is equipped with foglights, you may find it helpful to turn these on, as they throw a little extra light on the road while making your car easier to see.
Watch out for pedestrians. An ordinarily observant pedestrian may become distracted by fiddling with an umbrella or a rain slicker. Plus, raindrops deaden sound, so the usual audio clues for measuring car distances become obscured. Keep a sharp lookout for people in the road. Remember, while you are nice and dry in your car, the pedestrian is getting soaked. Let them cross first in parking lots so they can get to their dry car.
If it's raining so hard that you can't see the road or the car in front of you, pull over and wait it out.
Track the car ahead of you. Let the car ahead pave a clear path, so to speak, through the water.
Give a truck or bus extra distance. Their extra-large tires can create enough spray to block your vision completely. Avoid passing one, but if you must pass, do it as quickly as safety allows.
Defog your windows. Rain will quickly cause your windshield to fog up. Switch on both front and rear defrosters and make sure the air conditioning is turned on. Most cars' climate control systems will automatically engage the A/C when the windshield defrost function is selected.
Now that you know how to drive in the rain, take some precautionary measures to ensure your safety and the safety of those around you.
