Whether you are a new driver or if you have been on the road for many years, driving in the rain is inevitable. Here are seven tips to help you have a safer drive while on the road in wet weather:

1) In your free time, make sure that your windshield wiper inserts don’t leave streaks. Too many streaks, and you might have to get a new windshield from Glass.net You also want to make sure that your windshield wipers can clear your glass in one swipe, so if they are lacking in either one of these abilities you may want to think about getting them replaced. The average driver gets new wipers about every six to twelve months.

2) You should also ensure that your tires are properly inflated, as you will want them to provide proper traction on wet roads. When you check your tires, also be sure to check your spare one.

3) Keep both hands on the steering wheel. Don’t fool around with the radio, and don’t be making calls or sending texts from your cell phone. Your focus should be what is happening right in front of you on the road, but do be sure to glance in the rear and side view mirrors to be aware of what is happening around you.

4) Drive slowly. You should drive slow in wet weather because you don’t want your tires to rise up on a water film, which is the process of hydroplaning. Your car can hydroplane on as little as 1/12 inch of water, and it may be good for you to know that hydroplaning begins at 35 miles per hour (mph).

5) Know where the defroster button is, a small button in the climate control with three arrows pointing up near where your air conditioning and heat controls are. It is common for windshields to fog in wet weather, and as a result you want to be sure you can still see your way to make it to your destination safely.

6) Know how to respond to a skid. Skidding can be scary for many drivers, as they feel they have lost control of the vehicle. However, that is not the case because there are ways out of it. The trick is that you keep your eye on the road in front of you where you want to go, and keep steering in the direction that you want the car to go. You also need to avoid slamming on your brakes because that will throw off the vehicle’s balance and make it hard to have control over.

7) Avoid cruise control. Many modern-day vehicles have cruise control. It works fine in dry conditions, but in wet weather you should refrain from using it. This is because your chances of losing control of the car will increase. You can’t lift the accelerator to reduce the vehicle’s speed if you’re concerned about losing traction while you have the cruise control on, so it is better to drive without the feature in wet weather.

Hopefully these tips will prove handy next time you find yourself driving in the rain!

Article Courtesy of: Fitzgerald Auto

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