Give yourself the best chance in heavy rain
British advice for wet weather driving is appropriate here too, writes Dave Moore.
BRITISH Road safety charity the Institute of Advanced Motorists is offering drivers advice on driving in heavy rain, following the huge downpours that have occurred in Britain in recent weeks. We think it offers good advice right now in New Zealand as winter weather transitionally lurches between frozen conditions and pouring rain with floods from melting snow.
A suddenly very wet road surface increases the chances of slipping when braking or steering, which is a problem not just for motorists, but cyclists and motorcyclists too.
When driving in wet conditions remember that stopping distances will increase, and visibility will be reduced. Drop your speed and give yourself more time to slow down.
In cases of severe flooding, you should reconsider making the journey at all. If it is unavoidable, and you have to drive through deep water, be careful.
Drive on the highest section of the road and don’t set off while a vehicle is approaching you from either direction.
Leave time and space to avoid swamping other cars and pedestrians.
Drive slowly
and
keep
going once you have started – make sure you have a clear run. In a manual car, keep the revs higher by slipping the clutch (which means the clutch is not fully engaged) all the time you are in the water.
If you can’t see where you are going to come out of the water, such as when approaching flood- ing on a bend, think twice about starting to drive into it.
In deep water never take your foot off the accelerator, as this could allow water to travel up the exhaust pipe.
Once you’re out of the water, dry the brakes before you need them. The best way is to lightly apply the brake pedal as you drive along for a few seconds – after checking nothing is following you too closely, of course.
Before you set off anywhere in the wet, it pays to check your tyres too.
Adequate tread depth is essential for good grip on wet roads as the tread pattern helps to remove water from the road surface. Drivers with insufficient tread depth face longer stopping distances, reduced grip and an increased risk of aquaplaning. When checking the tread, you should also give tyres a visual inspection for any cuts, lumps or bulges, while also making sure the air pressure is correct.
Your windscreen wipers too, should be clean and if they’re streaking or making a noise on the screen, they should be replaced. Use your screen washers often, as if you don’t the windscreen wipers make a great job of spreading accumulated dirt all over your viewing area and even scratching the glass if the dirt is gritty.
Head and side lights need to be kept clean too, as in the low light conditions that always accompany wet weather driving, they can be the difference between being visible or invisible. As a rule of thumb, as soon as it rains, switch on your dipped headlights and let people know you’re there.