If it’s raining, you may be wondering how to drive safely in this condition. Here are some tips for safe driving: avoid high beams, slow down, leave enough space from the vehicle in front of you, and check tire tread depth. You can also slow down your vehicle by easing off the gas pedal or downshifting if you’re driving a manual transmission. This way, you’ll be able to stop your car in time to avoid being rear-ended by other vehicles.
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Avoiding high beams
While it is a common practice to turn off your high beams during a thunderstorm, according to personal injury lawyers in Manhattan, NY, using these while driving in bad weather can actually damage your vision. The high beams shine directly into fog and rain and bounce off of these surfaces. This can lead to glare and even blindness in some cases. Using low beams when driving in poor weather can prevent these problems altogether. To avoid driving in poor weather conditions, use low beams or turn them off altogether.
Leaving space from the vehicle in front
When driving in the rain, you should increase the gap between your vehicle and the vehicle in front. Leaving three to four seconds in front of the vehicle in front is the safest amount of space to leave, but you may need more space in some situations, such as when passing vehicles with billboards or markers. It is also a good idea to increase your gap by one second if the weather conditions are particularly poor.
Tire tread depth
While it is a good idea to replace your tires as needed, there is a time and a place for replacing your old tires. Typically, you should replace your tires when the tread is 4/32 inches or less. Without adequate tread, water cannot be compressed and must escape through the grooves in the tire. If you do not change your tires before this time, you will likely hydroplane and lose traction.
Tire inflation
While wet weather can cause a variety of problems on our car, proper tire inflation is crucial to ensure optimal performance. Proper tire inflation is the key to fuel efficiency, handling, responsive braking, and a smooth ride. While tires are designed to handle a degree of temperature fluctuation, they perform best when inflated to the recommended tire pressure. Underinflated tires create more friction and heat on the road, leading to reduced fuel economy and sluggishness.
Avoiding cruise control
Driving in the rain requires more attention. The road is wet and slippery, and the grease on the cars makes them even more slippery. If you can avoid it, reduce your speed and add a few car lengths between you and the cars in front of you. Avoid using cruise control while driving in the rain. It can cause you to hydroplane, or fishtail. Cruise control can take several seconds to disengage.
