Driving Tips
Driving in Wet Weather
The truth about driving in wet weather
When you’re driving in wet weather, it requires higher concentration levels than driving in dry conditions as the rain reduces your visibility and the grip of your tyres on the road. And with the rainy Western Cape winter, Cape Town has a relatively high accident rate during hard rainfalls.
Tips to make driving in the rain less dangerous
While choosing to stay off the road during the rain is not always a viable option, you should consider some basic tips for safely driving in the rain.
Stopping distances should be at least twice as long as when driving in dry weather. Instead of staying two seconds behind the car directly in front of you, extend it to four seconds.
Ensure that your brakes are in tip-top condition.
Your windscreen washer reservoir should be kept full and contain a good windscreen washer fluid that will minimize the effect reduced visibility when the windows mist up.
Your windscreen wipers should be checked on a regular basis as it loses its ability to clear water from the windscreen after approximately one year.
Guard against aquaplaning, which occurs when the water builds up between the road surface and the tire. When this happens, you may lose grip of your car. Decelerate by removing your foot from the accelerator and your tyres should connect with the road again.
Ensure that both your headlights are working and improve your visibility by driving with your headlights on even during the day.
Avoid overtaking as distances are judged differently in dry and wet situations.
Be on the lookout for puddles at the side of the road as it could lead to aquaplaning as well as drenching bystanders in close proximity to your vehicle.
Most importantly, do not speed!
When driving in wet weather, be prepared for mishaps that may happen along the road, for example, ensure that your cell phone battery is charged and that you have all the necessary emergency numbers. Plan your route, especially if you’re making a first time visit to an unfamiliar location.
Reach your destinations safely by concentrating on the road, especially when you’re carrying passengers, doing long distances, or driving at night.
When driving in wet weather, it is important to drive carefully, maintain a responsible speed, and ensure that your tyres and windscreen wipers are in good condition.
As we all know, you can take as many precautions as possible when driving in wet weather, but all it takes is for another driver to make a careless mistake to damage your car. If you are unfortunately involved in an accident with your General Motors vehicle, consult the Reeds Motor Group list of General Motors Approved Body Repairers in the Western Cape.
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