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Tips and
Techniques for Driving in Rain |
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Heavy rains can quickly reduce your
visibility and create slippery and hazardous road conditions. Even the best
drivers can get a little nervous about driving in rain, but it can be a bigger
challenge for seniors or people with disabilities, who may have slower reflexes
and vision limitations.
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Before You
Start... |
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PREPARE FIRST |
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Wet-weather driving demands gentle use of
all the main controls - steering, clutch, brake and accelerator - and a larger
allowance for errors and emergencies. When you begin a journey in rain, your
shoes will be wet and liable to slip off the pedals. Scuff the soles on the
rubber matting or carpeting of the car before you start the engine. All
motorists should regularly check that their headlights, tail lights, brake
lights and turn signals are working properly.
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CHECK YOUR BRAKES
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If you successfully pass through a deep
water hazard, test your brakes. They may be saturated, and only driving very
slowly and braking lightly at the same time will generate enough heat to dry
them out. Be sure they are pulling evenly on all wheels before building up
speed again.
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HOW ARE YOUR
TIERS? |
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Check your tires on a regular basis. Bald
tires significantly reduce your traction on wet roadways, and offer little
resistance to hydroplaning. When your tires run over water, the water is
displaced and it needs somewhere to go quickly. The best place is between the
treads of your tires. If your tires are bald, the water has no place to go and
you end up riding on a layer of water, like a boat.
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TURN ON YOUR
WIPERS |
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Replace your wipers regularly, at least once a year. Wiper blades in bad
condition don't clear water from the windshield very well and distort your
view. Older vehicles may need to have the whole wiper arm replaced. The arms
bend over time and sometimes can't keep enough downward pressure to clear the
windscreen, even with new blades installed. Wipers will often clear light rain
from the windscreen with a few sweeps, then run on an almost-dry screen and
leave smears of drying dirt.
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After You Start... |
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Slow down! It takes longer to stop or adjust
in wet weather.
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Stay toward the middle lanes - water tends to pool in
the outside lanes.
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Maintain proper following distance. This needs to be
increased in wet weather.
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Drive in the tracks of a car ahead of you. Especially,
don't follow large trucks or busses too closely. The spray created by their
large tires reduces your vision. Take care when passing them as well; if you
must pass, do so quickly and safely.
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Be more alert when driving in wet or
slippery conditions. Watch out for brake lights in front of you.
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Turn your headlights on even in a light rain, or in
gloomy, foggy or overcast conditions. Not only do they help you see the road,
but they'll help other drivers see you. If your car has daytime running lights
you still should put them on, so vehicles behind you can see you better.
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Before it starts to rain, replace old or brittle wipers.
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Avoid off-road driving: it's hard to judge the actual
depth of puddles and you can easily become stuck, even in an SUV.
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Never drive beyond the limits of visibility.
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Never drive through moving water if you can't see the
ground through it; your car could be swept off the road.
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When driving through a puddle of uncertain depth, go
slow. If it's deeper than the bottom of your doors, turn around and find
another route. Deep water can cause serious damage to a modern car's electrical
system.
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Stay off the road during heavy thunderstorms. Large
flashes of lightning can temporarily blind and disorient drivers, and the
accompanying high winds and heavy rain can create deadly driving conditions.
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Slow down! This should be obvious but it also very
important. People are so used to driving certain speeds on certain roads that
sometimes they forget the need to slow down when inclement weather presents
itself.
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