Rain, Rain, Go Away

Except it doesn’t does it? Especially in the UK. It’s hard to imagine that we so recently had a hosepipe ban in parts of the country. No doubt the British weather will soon put that right. There is however a cautionary note to this: Bone dry roads, collecting as they do all the detritus of traffic, can get surprisingly slippery when suddenly wet. This time of year then dictates that we need to plan for rain and even potentially, local flooding.

Some motorists are wary of driving in the rain and it certainly is an unappealing prospect but nobody enjoys having to be on the road in torrential downpours or floods. Not only are conditions unsafe, but your vehicle is more likely to break down, leaving the driver and possibly passengers stranded at the side of the road.

Most wet weather breakdowns are avoidable if car owners know how to prepare for and deal with wet weather. First up, especially at this time of year, a properly maintained car will be far less likely to let you down. There’s no time like the present, as we head towards winter, to get your vehicle fully serviced by your local professional car servicing garage and it’s not a bad idea to have it checked over generally to make sure it can take on bad weather; and that includes the tyres.

Tyre Safety

It’s easy to check tyres yourself: Look for uneven wear across the width caused by unbalanced wheels or faulty steering. Check for any cuts or bulges; any damage is dangerous. Measure the tread depth with a simple device from any motor factor or online. There’s a minimum legal depth of tread; any less and skidding is very likely, not to mention illegal.

Ask you car servicing garage to check for you if in doubt. It helps if you use a garage that is also an MOT testing station; they know the rules. Now, what else can be done to keep us safe on rainwashed or flooded roads?

Plan For Your Journey

In a fictitious world it’s probably not ideal to travel at all, but we live in the real world and probably don’t have a choice. Planning a journey in advance means identifying areas that could be prone to flooding (past events and the like) and avoiding them. Locally, most drivers are aware of the hot (or should that be ‘wet’) spots. With a little forethought it’s possible to pinpoint where there is likely to be congestion and factor in time for delays and driving at slower speeds.

Prep That Car!

If you have to drive in heavy rain, you need to make sure your vehicle is up to it. That’s why a seasonal check-over from a car maintenance garage makes sense. Check lights, tyres, oil and water, and, of course, wiper blades. All front and back blades need to be working properly or visibility will be considerably reduced. Top up the washer fluid too but don’t use washing up liquid!

Using The lights

On the road drivers need to think about how they are using the car’s lights. In rain, rear fog lights should never be on, as they mask brake lights and dazzle others on the road as many will find out in motorway spray. Fog lights are for fog and nothing else. Dipped headlights are always best for driving in wet conditions.

Watch Your Driving

Reduce speed during heavy rain and flooding, ensuring there’s extra distance between your car and the vehicle in front. Stopping times are increased during bad weather and driving needs to be adjusted to account for this. Driving too fast can also potentially initiate aquaplaning where the driver loses all control. It’s a horrible experience.

It happens when tyres lose contact with the road when driving through standing water. If the steering suddenly goes light then you're aquaplaning. Should this happen, ease off the accelerator but resist the impulse to brake. Simply wait for your speed to reduce naturally until you regain control of the steering.

Avoid Wet Electrics

If you do break down you need to keep the bonnet of your car closed. Rain can and will soak the electrical system if it is exposed.

If localised flooding is encountered, never attempt to drive through the water because there may be bad potholes lurking and you won’t know the depth. If another driver wants to go for it, let them. That way you can make a more informed decision, like don’t. If it is proven safe to drive through, be sure to drive on the highest section of the road, slowly and steadily. Avoid making a ‘bow wave’. Charging at it will just push water into the engine compartment and, again, soak the engine.

If proceeding through standing water always test the brakes after to ensure they haven't been damaged. A few steady ‘brake and release’ attempts will dry them off; if it doesn’t then something is wrong. Don’t attempt to drive on with faulty brakes! If they're not working as they should, reduce speed and pull over at the first safe place and call for help.

A Well Maintained Car Is A Safe Car

As with driving at any time of year, it’s always safety first, especially if there is precious cargo (your family) on board. It just makes sense for a car to be maintained properly and the best way to do that, given the complexities of today’s modern machines, is to get a professional garage to do it for you. It will be money well spent.