Agents of Drive - A car blog by a team of undercover agents(ish

3 people, 6 cars and a whole lotta fun!

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Featured
  • Cars
  • Car Buying
  • In Car Stuff
  • Driving Guides
  • Contact Me

Driving safely in the rain

March 6, 2019 11:30 pm Filed to: Driving Guides by Jerry

#AD. In the interest of disclosure and transparency, the syndication of this article has been provided and paid for by FBD Insurance

Driving during downfalls can be dangerous, even for skilled drivers. When visibility is affected and the roads get wet and slippery, your vehicle can become difficult to control.

FBD Insurance have provided some top driving tips for tackling torrential rain safely this season.

Slow down
Reducing speed will also decrease your stopping distance. It will allow your car pass through puddles smoothly, without spraying pedestrians or other road users. Driving at a safe speed will help you avoid “aquaplaning” or water build-up under your tyres, so you maintain maximum traction and steering ability on the road.

Allow sufficient distance
Your stopping distance on a wet road can be more than on dry roads, so give yourself plenty of time to stop. At a minimum, you should follow the 4-second rule to allow safe distance from vehicles in front. Take particular care when driving behind trucks and lorries, as the spray from larger vehicles can be blinding to other drivers.

Maintain visibility
Good visibility is crucial for driving in poor weather. Use dipped headlights during the day so you are easily seen on the road. Fully functioning heating and air conditioning is also important during heavy rain, as you will need to demist your windows to prevent them from fogging-over.

Check your tyres
Make sure your tyres are in great condition and that they are perfectly inflated for good traction with the road. To maximise safety, a tread depth of at least 3mm on every wheel is best. When threads are worn there is nowhere for water to go and your car will effectively be “floating” on the rain.

Windscreen wipers
If your windscreen wiper blades don’t clear the glass in a single swipe, replace them. If they squeak or skip across the window as they wipe, it’s time to start considering a new pair.

Avoid cruise control
Cruise features work well in dry conditions, but when used in rain, the chances of losing control can rise. To prevent loss of traction, you may need to reduce the car’s speed by lifting off the accelerator rather than breaking. This cannot be accomplished when your cruise control is on.

Beware of skidding
Your goal should be to prevent a skid from ever happening, so that you never find yourself trying to recover from one. However, if you do feel your car beginning to skid, it’s important not to panic:

  • Stay calm and grip the wheel with both hands.
  • Continue to look and steer in the direction you want the car to go.
  • Avoid further sudden braking or acceleration, which might worsen the skid.
  • If breaking is what caused the skid, ease gently off the breaks and back onto the accelerator to correct it. If acceleration caused the skid, ease gently back off the accelerator.

Driving through water
Avoid driving through deep water by following the highest section of the road. After going through water, drive slowly with your foot on the brakes over a short distance to dry them off. If you can’t see where you’re going to emerge from the water, or the road is flooded, find another route.

Plan ahead
Watch weather reports and road conditions prior to a long-distance drive or before driving to isolated areas. Take your time and give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination safely.

If the conditions are too bad, don’t take the risk. Delay your trip or consider an alternative method of transport.

If you have no other option than to drive please ensure that your Car Insurance is in date. If you need a quote on Car Insurance why not consider FBD Insurance.

Previous post
When Your Car Turns into an Asset Instead of the Liability it is
Next post
How to Generate Income With Your Automobile

Recent Posts

  • How to Rent a Car with Discount Code and Save Money?
  • Things to Know Before Getting a High-Output Alternator
  • Reasons to Do a DIY Car Stereo Installation
  • 3 Myths About Leasing a Vehicle Busted, How You Can Lease a Toyota Today
  • Car Repair and Maintenance Tips That You Should Know

Categories

  • Aston Martin (1)
  • Audi (4)
  • Bikes and Cycles (6)
  • Car Buying (35)
  • Cars (106)
  • Convertible (1)
  • Driving Guides (19)
  • Entertainment Only (4)
  • Featured (24)
  • First Drive (1)
  • Ford (4)
  • Future Cars (4)
  • Hyundai (1)
  • In Car Stuff (8)
  • Injury (3)
  • Lamborghini (1)
  • Mercedes (1)
  • mini (1)
  • Motor Sport (1)
  • New Cars (5)
  • Reviews (9)
  • Toyota (3)
  • Truck Buyers (2)
  • Volkswagen (6)

OUR VALUED SPONSORS

SPONSORED LINKS

Special Offers : Save on quality tires with these manufacturer's promotions available from Tire Rack.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

POPULAR PORSCHE POSTS

How to Rent a Car with Discount Code and Save Money?

Things to Know Before Getting a High-Output Alternator

Reasons to Do a DIY Car Stereo Installation

3 Myths About Leasing a Vehicle Busted, How You Can Lease a Toyota Today

Car Repair and Maintenance Tips That You Should Know

When to Trade in Your Car

Find us on Facebook

  • February 2022
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • January 2015
  • November 2014

Some Reader Favorites

How to Rent a Car with Discount Code and Save Money?

Things to Know Before Getting a High-Output Alternator

Reasons to Do a DIY Car Stereo Installation

3 Myths About Leasing a Vehicle Busted, How You Can Lease a Toyota Today

Car Repair and Maintenance Tips That You Should Know

Latest Tweets

  • Noisli - background noise and color generator for working and relaxing http://t.co/1YU7uPET9Z @noisliover a year ago
  • How to Build a Mobile App That Empowers Your Brand http://t.co/CyZtYDgjl4over a year ago
  • Я смотрю трансляцию NASAtelevision в прямом эфире на @Ustream! Присоединяйтесь http://t.co/SPe2NL4tbp !over a year ago

Looking For Something?

STAY CONNECTED WITH FLATSIXES

Back to top

Copyright © Flatsixes.com 2015 · All Rights Reserved

Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Tweet