Driving In Rain – Vehicle Safety

With the last month we have had (April 28th 2012 as I type), it seems more than appropriate to talk about the dangers we face when driving in rain or heavy rain. It’s been the wettest April on record and there are no signs of it changing as we enter May. Ignorance is bliss until you’re impaled in the car in front and squished by the car behind in an all-to-common motorway pile-up.

Water makes the road slippery. It’s as simple as that. With the rapid improvement of cars and safety it can be all too easy to think we are invincible when behind the wheel. When it’s raining your stopping distance is at least doubled, depending on the state of your car, and depending on the state of the road, which means you need to at least double the distance between yourself and the car in front. Tailgating (driving too close to the vehicle in front), rude and annoying as it is, is also the most common cause of accident in the wet. Mix water and oil on the road and your stopping distance will be even longer.

Let’s look at how we can reduce the chance of being a statistic by adjusting our actions and regularly checking our vehicles to ensure they are fit for purpose.

Firstly you need to look at your tyres - the single most important check to undertake on a regular basis. The condition of your tyres will decipher whether or not you’re going to stay on the road. You need to have a look to make sure there are no cuts or bulges on the side of the tyre, which would greatly increase a ‘blow-out’ and a spin off the road. Next, the tyre tread depth must be at least 1.6mm across the centre ¾’s of the tyre and around the entire circumference. It’s the grooves in the tyre that will disburse the rain water, allowing the car to stay on the road. Have you ever seen an F1 driver struggle to stay on the road when on ‘slicks’? It’s the same for road cars.

When it’s raining, visibility is decreased and so you need to put your lights on. So before setting off, or again at least on a regular basis you should check all your lights are working – front lights, tail lights, indicators and brake lights. Always keep spares in your car – they’re very cheap, brake light and indicators should only be 75p to a £1 and headlights around £6.

Also make sure your wipers a doing properly what they are supposed to. If they don’t clear your screen then they are worn out and in need of replacing. Again these are not expensive and make driving in rain far easier. You can get them from many online stores as well as Halfords where they will even fit them for you.

As well as these you should also check your oil, so your car continues to run smoothly and not cause your engine damage, your brake fluid and of course your windscreen washer too. Try not to rely on any warning lights to come on to advise you of a fault and by this time it may already be too late. And there is no warning light for your tyres.

These will all keep your car in a good condition for the road but essentially it’s your attitude and willingness to make it to your destination in one piece This weekend and in the week ahead, many people won’t make it because of dangerous driving, so keep a good distance away from the car in front to give yourself plenty of reaction and braking time, especially on the motorway.

After all, what’s the rush?