A rainy day can be refreshing.
A walk in the rain can be romantic. Driving in the rain, however, can be
quite dangerous so avoid it if you can. You may be a very safe driver,
driving defensively and obeying all traffic laws. But what about the drivers
around you? If you have to drive on a rainy day, keep your trips to a minimum
to reduce your chances of being involved in a collision. Before driving,
check traffic reports to see if your route is affected by flooding, traffic
collisions or road closures.
Here are some more helpful
tips for rainy day driving:
SAFETY TIPS
-
When driving on the freeway,
drive in the center lanes as water tends to pool in the outside lanes.
-
Turn on your headlights!
It will help you see better on foggy or rainy days and it will help other
drivers see you!
-
Increase your following distance
and watch for brake lights ahead.
-
Slow down – it takes
longer to stop in wet weather. Plus the faster you drive, the greater
the chances of hydroplaning!
-
Drive slowly through any
puddle of uncertain depth. That way if it’s deeper than you thought,
you can still back out!
-
Never drive through moving
water if you can’t see the ground through it – you could be swept right
off the road!
MAINTENANCE TIPS
-
Before it starts to rain,
replace old or brittle wiper blades. Wiper blades are inexpensive and are
very easy to change!
-
Check the tread and inflation
of your tires. Properly maintained tires provide the added traction
you will need on wet roads.
-
Consider carrying a portable
car starter with you. That way, if your battery goes dead you can
start your car from inside the vehicle rather than getting out of the car
to do a conventional jump start with cables.
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RAINY
WEATHER DRIVING TIPS
