Wet Weather Driving Tips
When driving in conditions that have heavy winds and strong rain might not look like the most crucial safety concern for a lot of drivers, but the professionals know this can be dangerous. It can be risky for your family and other drivers. Keep in mind that bad weather conditions need your full attention, so make sure that there are no distractions by lowering down the radio volume or turning off your phone. Remember that sometimes the most crucial driving decision you can make is to keep totally off the road until the weather is clear.
It is important that a person is cautious about driving in these conditions because there is a bigger tendency to have an accident. I have done the safety tips that will be mentioned in this post so I am speaking from experience. That is why this post will provide the most effective information you will need to keep yourself safe when driving under the rainy weather. If you are a driver, this condition is inevitable and that is why you need to follow these tips religiously.
If The Road is Wet, Expect That There Will Be More Accidents
When I am driving and it starts raining, I already know that there is more danger on the road compared to a snowy day, maybe it is because drivers forget to shift their habits because of hazardous conditions. You might think that this is surprising, but this is very true because driving on a rainy day is more perilous than driving under the snow. When the rain begins to fall and there is a wet pavement, your chances of experiencing a crash is greater than during winter condition.
I Avoid Cruise Control
Majority of modern cars have a cruise control feature. This feature is working great under dry conditions, but if it is used in wet conditions, the possibility of losing control increases. To stop traction loss, the driver might have to reduce the speed of the car by lifting the accelerator that cannot be accomplished when there is cruise control engagement.
When I am driving in this kind of condition, it is crucial to fully concentrate on each aspect of driving. Getting rid of the cruise control is not going to give me more options to choose from when responding to a possibility of less traction, and this adds to the safety you have.
I Always Take My Time
If you want to keep your car from hydroplaning, slow down and this is exactly what I do. Keep in mind that one of the major dangerous times to drive happens after it starts raining like oils on roadway is good for slick conditions. Letting a few minutes pass compared to rushing to the destination can be a safer option during the rain.
I AlwaI Never Forget The Headlights
Photo source: Hyundai-forums.com
There are two ways in which how headlights work under the inclement weather, which allows me to have a better vision of the road, and so that other drivers will see me. A lot of new cars have daytime running lights because of this, but the normal low beams work as long as you remember to switch them off after. It is not advisable to use fog lights because they can distract other motorists who might think that you are going to stop.
In Case of a Skid
Even if I am a very careful driver, I also experience skidding. If I feel that my car is starting to skid, it means that you should not panic. I have to continue steering towards the direction where I want the car to go. I need to keep myself from slamming the brakes because this is just going to affect the vehicle’s balance, and becomes more difficult for me to control
Backing off
I do not think about the old rule of keeping only a specific number of car lengths between me and the car in front of me. A good rule of thumb is to focus on keeping a 4-second distance behind the vehicle in front of me under the dry weather. I always observe the vehicle in front of me every time it reaches a fixed marker like a street light. Then I count up to 3 to 4 seconds, but if it’s raining, make it 5 seconds.
If I want to challenge myself more, I add 1 more second because if there is rain and you are driving at night time, you should make it 6 seconds.
If there is a chance and the traffic is heavy, this might not always be the case. I avoid being boxed in by the cars in the lanes on all sides. Having more space on all sides of the car allows me to see right away in case the car in front of me suddenly stops.
I Have to Be Patient
Patience applies to every aspect of driving, especially during the wet weather conditions, but it is not worth risking to hurry home. I always use the bathroom or grab a snack before riding the car to keep me relaxed and keep my eyes on the road. I have to be courteous to the rest of the drivers and the flow of traffic remains steady, like not having any road intersections and allow the traffic to merge.
Be Comfortable in Crucial Situations
Some emergencies that happen in wet weather conditions can be handled by the right use of common sense. Others look for something more like practicing driving techniques that can save my life. I have considered an advanced training session, but whatever I do, I always start with the simplest tip which is slowing down when the rain begins to pour.
In Case of Heavy Winds That Come With The Rain
An Empty Car or Trailer Means More Danger
I make sure that if there are heavy winds, my car is not empty because there is a higher chance of my car being controlled by the slightest amount of wind. It is more advisable to stop operating the semi—truck because empty trailers and high winds are definitely dangerous conditions. It is better to stop driving a car that is semi-empty plus the high winds because they are very bad conditions as one of the rules.
You Need to Drive Slowly
High winds can go under the car and affect the handling and braking, which will be brought on by sturdy gusts that could catch me off-guard. Slowing is going to help me anticipate these and will lessen the impact they are going to have on my driving.
Giving Large Cars a Lot of Space
In this kind of weather, truck drivers are going to have a more difficult time maintaining control. This is a normal circumstance and they should be able to deal with this situation in a good way. Although, you should still allow enough space while on the road. They might be forced to shift or change lanes right away because of the sudden gust of wind. No matter what the weather is, big trucks should be given a lot of space.
Avoid Going Too Fast
Everyone has driven by strong winds, when there is a feeling that you are not going anywhere at all. After that, there are instances when there is a strong wind behind your car. The only trouble with this is that, in case the wind is pushing you off the road, there is not much time to react.
The Car Has to be Parked Very Securely
I make sure that when I park my car, there are no trees around because high winds can break large branches and debris can fall on the car’s bonnet. There can be gusts of the wind that can force the parked cars to shake, so ensure that you will fully apply the handbrake prior to leaving the car. If the car has a manual gear box, leave it there because this is crucial if you will park the car on the slope.
Lessen The Distractions You Have
When the wind is attempting to pull the entire off the road, this is not enough time to call the local sports radio station or update your OS because you can do all of that later. Your hands have to be kept on 10 and your eyes should always be on the road. There is no way of knowing when those gusts will show up again, and keep in mind that, the gusts is affecting every car on the road, not only yours.
Carefully Plan Your Journey
I always research the route I am about to take before leaving to know if there is a route that is less exposed to the weather. Always pick the right sheltered route if there is an option to do so and allow people know where you are going in case your phone shuts down and you get stuck.
Head Winds
The head and tail winds are not hard to deal with because all they can do is change my speed a little bit. I was only able to find out on my own that there is a need to adjust the acceleration a little to make up for this.
What You Must Do After an Accident in The Rain
- Sometimes, no matter how hard I try to maintain control, there is still a possibility of the car losing traction and then it will skid, or hydroplane. Since the car is not under my control anymore, I do not panic. What I do instead is I stop stepping on the gas, look at the direction where I need to go, and carefully steer the car towards that direction.
If necessary, give a slight breaking pressure. When the car is already pointing at the direction where I need to go, I can step on the gas lightly and control the car again. You are going to do better in this kind of situation if you have experienced a bit of practice. This is why I always consider a driving course when I am taught about how to recover from skidding.
If cars are not moving without a towing truck, the hazard lights have to be turned, step out of the car when it is already safe, and move to the side of the road when there is no traffic. Ideally, there should be a warning triangle or flares in the emergency kit of the car. Those need to be placed on the road to signal drivers about the accident.
After the accident, you should be cautious about your health condition because not all injuries are visible. If you or someone in the car is not feeling good, call an ambulance right immediately.
- Liability can be established once you file a police report so that the insurance companies of the drivers can work together to point out their faults. One of the most useful documents the insurers will use, as well as a police report. Without any police report, knowing about the liability becomes an issue of what both parties said. If you are the injured one, you certainly want a police report.
There are several instances when people failed to call after an accident, and regretted not being able to. Those are the ones that exchanged information, but when the injured drivers called the insurance company of the one at fault, the offending driver denied and accused the victim of fraud. If there were a police report, that would not have happened.
Even if you are the one at fault, you still have to contact the police. You need to do this because sometimes the victim could have contributed to the accident and share the responsibility, or there are factors that will lessen your responsibility. If you do not want to have full liability for the incident and the insurance rates are ridiculously high, put that in a police report.
You can still file a report even if the police fail to come, but do it right away. You will have your side of the story on record and that helps in the insurance claim.
- Make sure to exchange details with the driver and take notes of the accident. You need to use the pen and paper because it is necessary to find out the driver’s name, address, driver’s license, contact numbers, policy number and insurance company.
In this kind of situation, the name of the driver is different compared to the insurer’s name on the vehicle so it is necessary to write down the details for all drivers and the car owner. The better half also writes down a trucks description that includes the color, make and model.
- Never admit your fault when you are already talking to the driver of the car and you should refrain from blaming or admitting fault or liability, even if you assume there is a mistake. Allow the police and insurance companies perform their jobs and use tools to arrive at a conclusion. You do not want to commit to something which is in a state of shock or sadness.
- Take out your camera and take pictures of the accident so be sure there is one in the emergency kit to photograph everything. You can use the built-in camera on your cellphone because that is enough. Take pictures of the damages your car has, the other driver’s car, and the whole accident scene to gain perspective of what happened. The skid markings on the car need to be photographed to show the travel paths. Photographs that show the whole accident can help make claims to adjusters in case of any dispute.
Making an Insurance Claim After The Car Accident
The driver who crashed into the car will be responsible for reporting an accident to the insurance company. Although, you have to make sure to contact their insurer also. Motorists who are causing accidents are usually resistant to their report.
It is important to gather all of the information about the party at the scene. You need to list down the name and address of the driver, his or her insurance company and policy. Gather the contact information and statements of the witnesses. And never do not forget to take pictures of the accident.
After you have called the insurance company, the case will go through these processes:
1 | There will be a case assignment to a professional at the car’s insurance company who is going to work on your claim. After that, you are going to meet the claims professional to talk about the coverages and situation. You have to analyze the claims professional that might include car inspection. Evidence examination of all injury claims, and also an initial payment. The case’s resolution and appropriate charges will be applied and then the case will be closed. |
2 | Since it is you who is responsible for the protection of your car, the company might ask you to make temporary repairs to the car while waiting for repairs. These can help in the prevention of more damages in the future. Although, make sure not to make permanent repairs prior to approval, because there might be a reimbursement. |
3 | In some instances, you might think of bringing an attorney who specializes in your situation. Attorneys might be able to make the process shorter. |
Simple Tips and Warnings For Avoiding a Car Accident
- Even if it is not raining, I never drive under the influence of alcohol because almost a third of car accidents are caused by drunk driving. Even if the content of the alcohol in your blood is below the legal limit, your driving can still be affected. If I know that I will be drinking, I call a cab or ask someone to drive me home.
- You always have to look at the road because when you are driving, you should look at the road and do not to anything else. Don’t allow the things that happen inside the car keep you from concentrating while driving.
I never multi-task in the car so I make sure that before I leave home, everything is settled, even me. I give full concentration to my driving because I do not want to risk having accident because I want to be prepared for anything that might come my way.
- Aside from drunk driving, another cause of accidents is drivers who fall asleep while inside the car. Not having enough sleep can lead to less reaction time, difficulty in forming decisions, and moves into unconsciousness that can happen without any warning.
- Following speed limits is very important because going too fast can cause accidents. In case you have to stop right away, chances are you will not be able to. You do not know if something might run in front of you, which is why you need to follow the limit. If you are driving within the required speed, you can stop quickly.
When you are about to drive in the rain, follow these tips I gave and do not forget that you can make an insurance claim so that your expenses will be covered, especially if it is not your fault. Always drive safely and surely.
Nancy McCoy