According to AAA, about 1.2 million traffic accidents every year occur due to wet weather. If you drive during a heavy storm or even a light drizzle, you increase your risk of being involved in an accident. If your vehicle is badly damaged in an accident and you find yourself stranded, emergency roadside assistance in Effingham can come to the rescue. Ideally, though, you should avoid an accident altogether. Here are 10 driving safety tips you can follow so you can avoid a car crash in wet weather.
- Turn on your headlights so that you can see other vehicles and obstacles on the road. Other vehicles will see you better, too.
- Good tires keep you safe as you drive, especially during wet weather. Be sure your tires are always sufficiently inflated and have good tread. Check your tire pressure once a month, even for your spare tire.
- Avoid driving with cruise control. Cruise control takes the acceleration and braking capabilities of your vehicle out of your hands, especially when driving on uneven roads. Using cruise control in the rain increases your chances of being involved in an accident.
- Do not break your concentration. Keep your eyes focused on the vehicles around you, the road, and your mirrors.
- Slow down and leave room. Tailgating increases your chances of rear-ending a vehicle or getting rear-ended. It is more difficult to slow down and come to a complete stop when the roads are slick.
- Slow down to a comfortable speed to avoid losing control of your vehicle. With as much as 1/2 an inch of water on the road, even a new set of tires can lose contact with the road, even if you go as slow as 35 mph.
- Sudden changes in speed can also cause you to hydroplane, or drift out of control on a wet road. Brake and accelerate slowly to avoid hydroplaning, especially at intersections.
- You can also hydroplane if you make a sharp turn. Make turns slowly and carefully, especially if you are driving in the tracks of a car ahead of you.
- If your car begins to skid, do not slam on the brakes or swerve. Slowly and carefully try to drift in the intended direction. Try not to panic.
- Most importantly, be willing to pull over if you feel unsafe. If the weather is bad enough to be dangerous, you are safest waiting it out. Anything short of a medical emergency can wait, no matter how important your destination may seem. Pull over and find shelter until inclement weather passes.
