Slick tips for driving in the rainy season
Though most people love rain, driving on wet roads is dicey. It is more so in Doha, where a lot of water is trapped on the roads.
Safety adviser at National Campaign for the Prevention of Accidents, Ademola Ilori pointed out that rain is often responsible for accidents.
Many of which are preventable. Accidents in rain are caused by unprepared drivers who don’t realise that fair and foul-weather driving is fundamentally different.
“When the road is wet, the film of water on the asphalt causes tyres to lose traction. Less obvious is the fact that rain reduces driver perception — it’s harder to see through the rain — and also decreases visibility through its action on headlights, windshields and the road itself.
“While most people know that they need to slow down in the rain, there are definitely other tips that will help you, and those who share the road with you, get to your destinations safely.”
During a dry period, engine oil and grease build up on the road. When mixed with water from rainfall, the road becomes extremely slick.
Continued rainfall will eventually wash away the oil, but the first few hours can be the most dangerous, he points out.
“You should plan to drive at a slower pace than normal when the roads are wet. There’s also the possibility that your planned route may be flooded or jammed. Whatever the case, rushing means higher risk,” the adviser said.
Brake early and with less force than you would normally.
Not only does this increase the stopping distance between you and the car in front of you, it also lets the driver behind you know that you’re slowing down.
Also, be more meticulous about using turn signals, so that other drivers know your intentions.
Drive through turns and curves at a lower speed than you would in dry conditions.
Most roads are crowned in the middle, which means that the water will run off to the sides, especially at roundabouts and intersections.
If possible, stay toward the middle of the road to avoid deep puddles.
Don’t use cruise control.
If you hydroplane, there’s the chance your car could actually accelerate. Cruise control also allows drivers to be less vigilant and to take their foot away from the pedals — not a great idea when reaction time is so important.
If you see a large puddle ahead, drive around it or choose a different route.
It could be that it’s covering a huge gaping ditch.
Water splashing up into your car’s engine compartment could damage its internal electrical systems.
Also, a pothole may be hiding under the water, just waiting to damage a wheel or knock your suspension out of alignment.
If you can’t gauge the depth, or if it’s covering up the side curb, try to avoid it.
Don’t attempt to cross running water.
You will probably get into a lot of trouble if the force of the water is greater than the weight of your vehicle.
All-wheel drive isn’t going to be much help if your vehicle is being pushed sideways.
After you cross a puddle, tap on your brake pedal lightly to dry off some of the water on your rotors. Turn on your headlights, even when there’s a light sprinkle. It helps you see the road, and more importantly, it helps other motorists see you.
However, don’t blast your high beams in the rain — it’ll obscure your view further, as the light will reflect back at you off the water droplets in the air. If your car is equipped with fog lights, you may find it helpful to turn these on, as they throw a little extra light on the road.
Watch out for pedestrians. An ordinarily observant pedestrian may become distracted while fiddling with an umbrella or a mobile phone.
Plus, raindrops deaden sound, so the usual audio clues for measuring car distances become obscured.
Keep a sharp lookout for people on the road. If it’s raining so hard that you can’t see the road or the car in front of you, pull over and wait it out.
Track the car ahead of you. Let the car ahead pave a clear path, so to speak, through the water. Give a truck or bus extra distance.
Their extra-large tyres can create enough spray to block your vision completely. Avoid passing one, but if you must pass, do it as quickly as safety allows.
Defog your windows. Switch on both front and rear defrosters and make sure the air conditioning is turned on.
Most modern cars’ climate control systems will automatically engage the A/C when the windshield defrost function is selected.
Do not let other occupants of your vehicle try to manually defrost the front window while the vehicle is moving.
If you start to hydroplane, don’t brake suddenly or turn the wheel, or you might spin into a skid. Release the fuel pedal slowly and steer straight until the car regains traction.
If you must brake, tap the brake pedal (unless you have anti-lock brakes, in which case you can put your foot down). It is also important that you take some precautionary measures to ensure that your vehicle is prepared to get you through a downpour.
Stay on top of your car’s condition. Its brakes, tyre pressures, tyre tread depth and defroster operation should be checked regularly.
Make sure that your wipers are in good condition and functioning properly. Some wipers are definitely better than others, so ask your retailer for recommendations.
In a perfect world, rainy days would find us hanging out at City Center, coffee shops or relaxing at home. Life being what it is, you probably have to go to work instead.
Taking a few precautions and using wet-weather driving techniques will keep you from ending up wet on the shoulder of the highway, waiting for a tow truck.