Car Q's: How Do I Drive Safely During Raining Season? - Driving Tips for Vehicle Owners - Qs and As

Question: What are the Driving Tips and Safety Precautions for Car Owners During Wet Weather?

Answer:

• First thing to do is to carry out safety checks on your vehicle before driving out. Make sure your windshield wipers, headlights, tail lights, brake lights and all traffic signals are working properly.
  Driving in wet weather demands gentle use of all the main controls: steering, clutch, brake and accelerator.
  When you begin a journey in rain, your shoes will be wet and liable to slip off the pedals. Ensure you take safety precautions.

• Check your tires on a regular basis. Worn-out tires significantly reduce traction on wet surfaces and offer little resistance to hydroplaning.
  When driving on wet roadways , water is displaced in between the tire treads. But if your tires are bald, you will definitely ride on layers of waters which will eventually reduce traction when you apply your brakes.

• DO NOT drive on high speed during raining or wet weather. Always check your brake pads to see if they are still in good condition. Take note of the brake fluid level and ensure there is no leakage.
  More so, always use recommended brake fluid for your car. Apply your brakes gently and don't slam on your brake pedal.

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• Replace your wiper blades if they are bad. Wiper blades in bad condition do not clear water from the windshield very well and will distort your view.
  Older vehicles may need to have the whole wiper arms changed.
  The wiper arms bend over time and sometimes can not keep enough downward pressure to clear the windscreen, even with new blades installed.

• Switch on your headlights to enhance visibility when it’s raining. Headlights are a good way to alert other road users about your movement.
  You may be able to see other cars without their headlights on, but others may not have vision or windshield wipers as good as yours.
  Traffic Laws require headlights be turned on when it is raining of when visibility is reduced.

• Avoid driving too close behind large trucks and buses. Splashes and sprays from these vehicles can obscure your vision, creating a potentially disastrous driving situation.
  Keep your distance and make sure your wipers are on when other vehicles are in front of you. Switch on both front and rear defrosters to defog your windshield. Heavy Rains will quickly cause your windshield to fog up.

• Oil and dirt build up on the roads after a period of no rain. The first few hours of rainfall can cause road surfaces to become slippery, so drive cautiously.
  If it is raining so heavy and hard that it affects your visibility after taking all necessary precautions, it's better you pull over and wait untill you are able to see clearly.

• Avoid driving in large puddles. You could damage your car electronics and sensors especially the ones beneath. In case you get your car in deep waters, you might need to change your brake fluid, transmission fluid and engine oil.
  If you notice rise in level of these fluids, it is an indication that water has gotten into some sensitive part of your engine. Your car will definitely need a tune up.

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