Driving Tips In Heavy Rain And Floods
Driving becomes risky in heavy rain. It is a critical weather condition when most drivers may encounter reduced visibility or a flooded road too. Here are a few things you need to take care when it rains heavily or you encounter flood.
- When winter arrives, remember to check the windscreen wipers of your car regularly to ensure they can cope with heavy rain. If their rubber has got deteriorated, consider replacement immediately. You can find wipers very easily at your local car repair shops.
- Car aqua planning is a condition when the car tire’s tread pattern is unable to disperse enough water in order to keep contact between the tire and the road. When this happens, the vehicle becomes uncontrollable with the loss of steering, grip and a sensation of driving on ice. Whenever you face such a situation occurs, hold your steering wheel lightly and lift off the accelerator until your car tires regain their grip.
- Whenever you encounter heavy rain, and end up staying inside your car, make sure you are not in a location that is at risk of flash flooding. Because, the water can cause damage to its engine and in certain cases the car will restart when it has a chance to ‘dry out’. It can also cause the electrics to become rain-soaked and in such cases, the car will be even harder to restart.
- Avoid driving through flooded water unless you know how deep it is.
- Try to stay in the middle of the road, since it is the part of the road where the flood water is shallowest.
- Avoid driving through fast moving water, because the car can easily be swept away.
- Driving at high speed through a flood may cause expensive damage to your car as well as the engine. Thus, lower the speed in flooded water.
- When you drive through the flood water, keep the engine revving by slipping the clutch, since it prevents water in the exhaust which may stall the engine.
- Test your brakes right after you leave the water.