Beware what lies beneath...
VARIABLE winter weather often results in sunny mornings turning into gloomy grey clouds and heavy rain. IAM RoadSmart’s head of riding and driving, Richard Gladman, suggests a few way to keep safe in heavy rain and floods.... Heavy rain: • Heavy rain will affect your visibility, so take it slow. The braking distance between yourself and the vehicle in front should be two seconds when driving on a dry road, and at least four seconds in the wet. It is even longer on icy surfaces. We recommend up to 10 times the braking distance when driving on ice.
• Your windscreen should be clean, wipers effective and the jets positioned correctly. Clean the windscreen, make any necessary adjustments and remove anything from the main area before you start a journey.
• A good rule of thumb is that if you need windscreen wipers, you need headlights. Automatic light settings will not always activate in bad weather, so it is up to you to make a sensible decision. Aquaplaning: •If the water is standing in puddles your car is at risk of aquaplaning. To recover from aquaplaning, ease gently off your accelerator, have a firm grip of the steering wheel and be sure not to make any sudden steering actions. The car will regain its grip as the water clears. Floods: • First ask yourself - can you take another route? If not, then identify how deep the flood is. If the standing water is more than six inches deep, avoid driving through it. If familiar with the road, judge the flood in relation to the kerb.
• If heavy rain was not the cause, what was? For example, if it is a burst water main, the standing water may look like a normal flood but the road surface beneath the water completely broken up. If unsure, avoid.
• Are vehicles similar to yours safely driving through? Make a judgement call as to whether it is safe.
• If the water is fast flowing, do not attempt to drive through it.
• If you have taken everything into consideration and decide to drive through, be sure to do so slowly. The best approach is to press lightly on your clutch and add gentle pressure on your accelerator to increase your engine revs.
Do so without increasing your speed, in a similar way to how you would undertake a hill start. This will prevent water from entering your exhaust. If you are in an automatic car, accelerate slightly but control the speed with your brakes. When you have passed the flood, test your brakes to make sure they are dry and working properly.
• Remember to stay alert and avoid splashing pedestrians. To do so is an offence.
Richard says: “Keeping your car maintained and the rubber (wipers and tyres) in good condition will help you stay safe. In recent extremes, take extra care and if possible avoid driving through standing water. If you’re in any doubt then it’s best not to take any chances.”