After the summer, autumn arrives and the rain comes along with it. Therefore, precautions on the road must be increased as driving with rain diminishes visibility, makes your car tyre lose contact with the road surface and braking distance is even bigger. All this could cause the dreaded aquaplaning, which is one of the main effects of driving while raining.
Driving in wet conditions could also worsen your car conditions in case your windscreen is dirty because of the water, mud or grease splashed on it. This could form a filthy layer on your widescreen and it will be even worse if you activate its brushes as it could prevent you from visibility. In this sense, it is important to be cautious so that the windows and the widescreen do not get fogged up and it makes you lose your eyes off the road.
The more water is accumulated in the roadbed, the more braking distances should be. Besides, heavy rains can form big puddles on the road and therefore, your car could suffer aquaplanning. Likewise, moisture may affect your car brake pads and their effectiveness when driving through areas with too much water.
What is the best way of action to prevent these risks?
To improve visibility, it is vital to follow the next guidelines:
- Before starting your car, clean all the elements of it that let you see -windscreen, mirrors and headlights- and be seen -indicators and lighting system-.
- Turn on your high beam to make your car visible to others, even the rear fog lamps in case the rain is very heavy and the cars lift up a dense waterfall.
- Increase safety distance to avoid splashing
- Activate the wiper having plenty of fluids
- To prevent fogging, turn on all the power of the air conditioning headed to your widescreen. A cloth could be a good complement to do away with fogging.
In case you are forced to stop your car and it does not have ABS, try to do it in a straight line and take off your feet of the brake before you change the direction of your wheel. In the event of aquaplanning, hold the steering wheel firmly without sudden movements and stopping, slow down and gently lifted off the throttle. To adjust your car to the loss of adhesion, simply increase the safety distance and slow down, especially in curved areas.
Remember that the important thing is to reach your destination no matter how long it takes you so it is advisable to take into account these safety measures. 😉
