Safety tips for driving in the rain
Driving in the rain can be dangerous when you don’t adjust your driving style to the weather. You might not think much of it, but one small mishap while driving in the rain could lead to a crash involving another vehicle or even a roadside barrier. We’ve towed wrecked cars off of the roadsides all day long in rainy weather. Such occurrences could cause injuries to you or your passengers and, of course, damage to your vehicle. It’s never fun have to deal with an accident and all that comes with it, especially not in rainy weather.
Car accidents are always inconvenient, but they’re more likely to occur when the roads are wet and you can’t see because of rain. In order to stay safe while driving in the rain, follow these four steps:
Do not use cruise control
There are a few reasons to avoid cruise control when driving in the rain. First off, drivers are often less attentive when using cruise control. The vehicle is basically set on autopilot and the driver might not even have his/her foot over the brake or accelerator. This slows reaction time that might be needed in the event that the vehicle is thrown off track when going through a puddle of water and hydroplaning.
Also, hydroplaning causes a vehicle to speed up, as opposed to maintaining speed (what cruise control is supposed to do) through a puddle of water. A vehicle loses traction when going through water, since the water creates a separation from the road surface. To ensure complete attentiveness and safety, don’t use cruise control while driving in rainy conditions.
Ensure your windshield wipers are functioning properly
Windshield wipers are what allow us to drive in the rain. Without them, you wouldn’t make it very far without hitting an object of another vehicle. Every car has to have windshield wipers in order to pass state inspections. Owners are required not only to have them installed, but to also have wipers that function properly. So basically, make sure that your windshield wipers are working properly. From there, all you have to do is adjust the wiper speed based on how fast the rain is coming down.
Turn on headlights
Be sure to make use of your headlights while driving in the rain. This allows for impoved visibility to ensure that you can see the vehicle in front of you, as well as the lane dividers.
In addition, the drivers of vehicles around you will be able to better see your vehicle. You’re not the only one on the road, so it’s important to make sure that other drivers can see you as well. Make sure you can see your surroundings, while also allowing those in your surroundings to see you.
Give yourself an additional car length of separation
A golden rule for driving safely, especially, in the rain, is to stay an extra car length behind the vehicle in front of you than what you normally do. Wet roads make it considerably harder to brake. Hydroplaning is also a possibility, so expect your vehicle to take longer to come to a stop.
Following the above rules will prevent car accidents, injuries, and an overall inconvenience to your day. Furthermore, following these tips will guarantee that you don’t cause an accident while driving in the rain.
MR Towing is providing you these basic steps to help ensure the safety of you and your passengers. We hope that you are never involved in an accident and that your vehicle never breaks down. However, in the unfortunate event that you are, MR Towing Services is here to help. Call us if you are ever in need of an emergency tow.
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