Tips for driving in bad weather conditions
By David Halbert on Feb 25, 2009 in Cars
Plenty of accidents take place daily in various parts of the world. It happens due to the faults of drivers, or at times because of environmental settings around. Regardless, in bad weather settings such as snow, fog, or rain the probability of accidents moderately increase. Data shows a rise in number of accidents in bad weather settings compared to a normal sunny day in all parts of the world.
The easiest way to prevent accidents in bad weather is not to drive, and just put off your trip till the weather conditions get back to usual. You can collect information about the weather by watching weather forecast on news channel, researching on the internet, or just listening to radio. However, if it is inescapable then you should keep in mind certain tips to keep away from accidents in bad weather.
How are your tyres?
"Bald tyres" also result in crashes on a rainy day since they lessen traction and give less resistance to hydroplaning. It is very recommended that you look at your vehicle's tyre on regular basis, in particular before going out on a journey.
Turn on your wipers
It is advised to change car wipers once in a year, because improper wiper blades do not properly clear water from the windshield in case of bad weather, and thus obscure your view. It is also good to use windscreen washer. It is relatively cheaper and offers great safety benefits as well. Also, don't follow large buses or trucks as their splash and spray can distort your view, and can increase the potential risk of accident. Maintain safe car distance while driving, (remember 3 second rule) and keep windshield wipers turned on.
Turn on your lights
In poor visibility, headlights should be turned on as it helps in increasing visibility and let other drivers know about your position as well. In rain or foggy conditions, it is mandatory to keep headlights turned on. You may see other cars without lights, but you can't say about others if they have proper windshield wipers and clear visions as good as yours.
Foggy windows
In case of intense humidity or rain, the windows of your car mist up. For this reason, you must turn on the defrost mode. It will clean up the mist from the windows. If your car does not have AC, then open your side windows to get the air moving. All modern cars produced today have rear window defroster to clear misted rear windscreen, if you don't have this then by putting the defroster high the hot air will do the trick for you.
Expressway driving
It is always smart to keep enough distance from the car right in front of you, but in rainy settings it is much more recommended so that if you have to hit the brakes you have sufficient distance from the car to permit your tyres to lock up. Drive in the first lane if achievable as you would have fewer cars in this lane and less oil deposits.
There are a lot of other tips you should know of while driving in bad weather. Your car should be in pristine condition before you plan to drive. You should test tyres, brakes, and windshield wipers before you commence your journey. Drive slower, switch lights on, preserve proper distance, keep windscreen wipers on in rain, and don't follow buses & trucks are some of the tips you should keep in mind while driving in bad weather.
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