Wet weather driving
With Winter just around the corner, I’m writing this article in the hope it might help somebody avoid an accident while driving over the Christmas period. Early darkness, rain and snow can cause even the most experienced drivers to loose control and potentially end up in a nasty accident. Hopefully these tips will help you avoid being the unlucky one.
Wet Weather Driving
British Winters are know better for rain rather than snow, so I’ll start here.
The point I cannot emphasise enough here is speed. Or, preferably, the lack of.
In heavy rain consider driving slower than you normally would on the road in question, and give yourself plenty of time to stop. Always stop the car by applying gradually increasing pressure, from a very light touch, to the brake pedal. Braking too hard could cause a skid and a potential accident.
If you do start to skid, try not to panic. Easier said than done, I admit, but most injuries during skids are caused by the driver panicking and either hitting the brake too hard, causing the wheels to lock, hitting the gas, and/or steering erratically in a futile attempt to straighten the car.
As soon as you’re aware of the skid, take your foot quickly but smoothly off the gas pedal. You won’t be needing it. Turn the wheel gently towards the direction of the skid to bring the rear end of your car in line with the front. If your car is equipped with ABS, push firmly on the brake pedal as you turn the wheel.
If you car is without ABS, keep your braking to a minimum. Hitting the pedal hard could make your situation much worse.
Snow Driving
Obviously you should only drive in snowy conditions when absolutely necessary, but if you have no choice you should apply all the safety techniques you would when driving in the rain.
In addition, try to drive within the tyre tracks of other cars, and maintain a low speed on roads covered by snow that may hide a dangerous layer of ice.
Before you begin your journey, remember cold weather can cause a significant decrease in tyre pressure. Always ensure your tyres are suitably inflated.
Nighttime Driving
It’s well known most road accidents occur at night, for obvious reasons. Think of how important your vision is when driving, then think of how much your vision is reduced at night.
On top of the reduced vision, on most roads at night you’ll be facing the glare of headlights of vehicles traveling in the opposite direction, which often completely obscures the vehicle itself giving you little idea of it’s size and exact position on the road.
When you combine darkness with rain, your vision will be reduced even further, making for very dangerous driving conditions. Often during heaving rain at night, road markings can become almost invisible under reflections on the water.
Luckily, there are several simple steps you can take to improve your safety when driving in the dark.
Enable as much visibility as possible by ensuring your all lights are clean and free of dirt before you begin your journey. Check the position of your headlights to avoid blinding drivers traveling towards you and provide the most coverage of the road in front of you.
Ensure all your windows are cleaned throughly and front and back wipers are clean and working properly.
Remember your stopping speed is greatly increased on a wet road, so ensure you keep your distance from the car in front, and avoid driving at speeds greater than would allow you to stop within the visible road ahead. Driving too fast could easily cause a collision with something you haven’t seen in time.
Always consider other road users when using your high beams. Dip the beams as soon as you see a car approaching in the opposite direction, and remember to switch to low beams when following another car. If a driver behind you fails to switch off his high beams, you should adjust your rear-view mirror to reduce the glare on your eyes.
That’s about all the advice I have for this article, I hope you find it useful. Drive safe.