Driving safety in wet weather

By Dejan B.. Published on February 18, 2021

Driving on a sunny day and going on the road when there is heavy rain are two completely different conditions for driving. A wet road is potentially dangerous for drivers and increases the chances of accidents, therefore, it is important to take the necessary precautions and make the best driving decisions on the road. Here are a couple of tips that will help you drive safe in wet weather.

Get behind the Wheel Only If It's Necessary

It's quite simple. If you don't go out on the road while there is heavy rain and stay at home, there is absolutely no chance that you may end up on the side of the road with your car broken. If the trip you are planning to take is not that necessary and can be postponed, have a cup of tea and wait until the bad weather goes away.

Raining on a car

Slow Down and Maintain Safe Distance

Drivers should slow down when the road is wet from the rain and reduce a vehicle's chance of hydroplaning. You also need to avoid making sharp turns and hard braking. In order to be safe on the road when there is hard rain, keep a safe distance between you and the car in front. You never know when the other driver is going to be forced to use his or her breaks, as he is stuck in the same weather conditions as you are.

Keep more distance when is raining

Avoid Cruise Control

I am sure you know how there are cars with cruise control. When the road is dry, this feature works perfectly and is a great innovation, but on a wet road, you can lose the control over your car. If you avoid using cruise control, you will increase the chances of staying safe and have more options in case of loss of traction.

Car Tyre Close Up

Turn on those headlights

In case you decide to go on the road in bad weather conditions, one of the things you need to check before getting inside your car is that the lights on both sides of the vehicle are working. Once you get behind the wheel and start driving, make sure to turn on the lights. In most US countries the law states how lights need to be turned on when visibility is low, while some countries also require having lights on if you are using the windshield wipers.

car headlights in the rain

Avoid large puddles

Mixing vehicles and deep puddles is not a good idea. Avoid places on the road where there are large puddles of water and increase your safety while driving in wet weather. In case there is no way to avoid crossing across these water-filled gutters on the road, you need to slow down and carefully operate the steering while until you pass the giant puddle.

Try to avoid large puddles when you

Be Patient while Driving

Patience is the key when driving in bad weather conditions. The truth is that your journey is probably going to last a bit longer, but there should be no rush to reach your destination. It is important to stay relaxed and understand that these poor weather conditions require careful driving. Drivers should also be courteous to one another on the road at all times, but especially when the road is wet and driving conditions are not perfect.

A kid relaxed in a car while is rainning

Comments

Sue on 3/8/2021, said:

Have proper and new-ish windshield wipers. Also, be sure you have a clean windshield inside and out.

Mady Maguire on 3/23/2021, said:

Add "wipers" at the end of this sentence "... some countries also require having lights on if you are using the windshield."

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