Always keep both of your hands firmly gripped on the steering wheel at all times. Be sure to keep all distractions, such as the radio and especially cell phones, away from you and off.
Make sure you headlights are on. There are many states in the U.S. that require your headlights be on, even in broad daylight, when it is raining.
Always keep a minimum of five car lengths behind the car in front of you. Since you never know what other drivers will do or what could happen to you, a good rule of thumb is to estimate approximately 1 second of following distance per 10 miles per hour. That holds especially true in bad weather.4
Drive at or below the speed limit to be sure that you can see far enough in front of you to make appropriate driving decisions.5
Know that the maximum speed at which you can drive is DIRECTLY related to the condition of your tires. Be sure you know what the condition your tires are in. Radial tires generally have much better traction than does the older bias ply polyester tires, but they even lose traction on the roadway when it is wet and fail to channel the water out as the tread wears.6
Be knowledgeable about hydroplaning. This is where your vehicle travels on top of the water and has very little or no contact with the road. Your traction is significantly reduced. To safely get out of a hydroplaning situation steer straight or slightly in the direction you must go after letting off the gas. Remain calm and never make any sudden motions.7
Be sure you avoid roads that are flooded. You should never drive directly through flowing or standing water in the road way unless you are able to follow someone else to judge the depth of the water or you have no choice. Your car can actually float away in deep water and take it off the roadway. Flooding the engine of your car can also cause the engine to stall.
If the windshield starts to fog, turn on the defroster. When the weather is hot and muggy, turning the air conditioner on will usually clear the inside of your windshield much faster than the defroster. air.
Be aware that your brakes can be affected by water. After driving through deep water, drum type brakes that are wet are very susceptible to decreased stopping power.
Be sure to watch out for pools of water which may accumulate at low areas of the roadway and at clogged storm drain pipes. Roadways also develop ruts where there are heavy traffic tracks, and you may be able to position your vehicle to avoid these while remaining in your lane.
We hope these tips will help you to be safer the next time you are driving in the rain in California. However, if you should find yourself injured or with a great deal of property damage as a result of an accident, we at LedgerLaw.com are here to help you as your Accident Law Firm.
