15 FACTS YOU MUST KNOW IF YOU MUST DRIVE IN THE RAIN TO AVOID ACCIDENT
-By Bisi Adewale
As we enter the raining seasons, there are things all drivers must know in order to avoid road crashes as lots of drivers wasted many lives because they overlook little things that are important. 15 FACTS YOU MUST KNOW IF YOU MUST DRIVE IN THE RAIN TO AVOID ACCIDENT
There are facts you must know if you must drive in the rain this raining season to avoid accidents.
Driving in the rain is one of the driving categories tagged “Hazard Driving”,this is because lots of accidents occurred in the past involving cars been driven in the rain.That is why, it is important to learn some of the basic tips for driving in the rain.
Driving under the rain is cool if you know what to do and what not to do. So, we need to learn about it here before you hit the road when it drizzles.
1.MAKE SURE YOUR WATER WIPER IS WORKING: You must make sure your car water wiper is one of the thing you check every morning before you drive out of your house to ensure it’s in order or repair it quickly. It won’t be funny to discover that your wiper is faulty on a night its rain heavily. 15 FACTS YOU MUST KNOW IF YOU MUST DRIVE IN THE RAIN TO AVOID ACCIDENT
2.USE DEFROSTER: The windscreen tends to form a fog when it rains because of the cold.
Wiper alone may not be enough to do the job of clearing the fog the cold from the rain can generate. So, use your defroster to remove this. Check your car owner’s manual to know how best to use this. If there’s none in your car, the AC is a good option. If you have none of these, park somewhere and wipe them before you progress on your journey.
3.MAKE SURE YOUR HEAD LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON
When it rains (heavily), it’s pretty difficult to see clearly. That is why you need to ensure that your head lights are turned on as you drive. This will enable you see ahead more clearly. It will also allow the on-coming cars to see you early and clearly. 15 FACTS YOU MUST KNOW IF YOU MUST DRIVE IN THE RAIN TO AVOID ACCIDENT
4.FIX YOUR TAIL LIGHTS
Fix your tail lights because it is also important for the person driving behind you. Seeing your tail lights will prevent them from hitting you from the back
5.BEWARE OF COVERED POT HOLES
Rain water can fill gutters and pot holes which many people may run into while driving.So, drive cautiously.
6.CONCENTRATE ON YOUR DRIVING
Do not receive calls,don’t talk to the person sitting beside you and do not eat,just concentrate on your driving because your total focus is needful at this time.15 FACTS YOU MUST KNOW IF YOU MUST DRIVE IN THE RAIN TO AVOID ACCIDENT
7.KEEP BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL
Whether or not you’re used to driving with one hand on the steering wheel, when you drive under the rain, make sure you have both your hands on the steering wheel to have a better grip of the vehicle.
8.BEWARE OF SLIPPERY ROAD
The roads are usually very slippery while rain fall.So, be cautious of this and drive carefully.
9.NEVER CALL,NEVER RECEIVE CALLS: Avoid using your phones while you drive as well, no phone calls and no texting.In fact, don’t use hands free,it will even be advisable to switch off the phone at this hour because it may hinder you from concentrating properly.
15 FACTS YOU MUST KNOW IF YOU MUST DRIVE IN THE RAIN TO AVOID ACCIDENT
10.KEEP A REASONABLE DISTANCE FROM THE CAR AHEAD OF YOU
Observe the general rule of driving-“don’t kiss”, “Don’t hug” As you drive, don’t go too close to the car ahead of you because you never know what they might do at any given time. They may decide to apply their brakes suddenly, and that may be dangerous for you if you’re too close to them. It’s advised to keep a distance of about a second from the vehicle ahead.
11.TRY NOT TO OVER-SPEED
Drive below speed limit at this time, it’s better to drive slowly, to enable you have better control of your vehicle as the road may be slippery and wet.
12.IN CASE OF HYDROPLANING: This is the loss of steering or braking control when a layer of water prevents direct contact between tires and the road.
Stop pedaling, and try to steer yourself in the direction you should go. Do not make any sudden turns, as that may be disastrous.
13.AVOID FLOODED ROUTES (ROADS)
Avoid Flooded roads as they are bad and unpredictable. It can lead to accident and injury. Your vehicle can get damaged in a flooded road or worse still, you can lose control of your car in a flooded area. So, avoid such roads as much as you can.
14.MIND THE BRAKES
Don’t put your hope on your braking system when it rains, wet drum type brakes tend to perform poorly when used in deep waters. Slippery and Wet road can also make your brake to be ineffective.
15. PARK FOR SOMETIME IF RAIN BECOME TOO HEAVY: It will be advisable to park in a safe place and wait for sometime when rain becomes too heavy affecting visibility ;causing slippery on dangerous roads. Arriving late is better a times if it’s beyond your control than never arriving at all.
