It’s not a surprising statistic that every year thousands of car accidents, even fatal ones, are due to both wet roads and poor driving conditions in the rain. Don’t end up another statistic. By following some simple methods listed below you will know exactly how to drive safely when the road gets wet.
Slick Risk
In Vancouver, WA and the Clark County area we all enjoy the greenery that the northwest rain provides. However when the rain starts and the seasons change so do the roads. As the rain pounds down on the roads oil, crud, and other common roadway grime that have settled into the pavement begin to breakup and rise to the surface of the streets. With the pavement covered in a wet and oily slick layer the roads get very slippery often making it difficult to get traction.
Slow and Steady
Nobody wants to call a tow truck. The best way to prevent and accident in any type of driving condition is to SLOW DOWN and keep your car’s movements STEADY. When you drive at lower speeds your tires will have a wider tread area contacting with the pavement, giving you much better traction. While driving at slower speeds will you give more traction keeping your vehicle at a steady pace is just as important. Avoid quickly braking, accelerating, or turning so that your vehicle doesn’t have any abrupt or jerky movements.
Keep a Safe Distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.
Even though many drivers in the northwest have tires designed for wet weather it still takes up to three times longer to stop on a wet road than a dry one.
* Don’t tail gate; keep a safe three car-lengths distance away from the car in front of you
* Watch for brake lights
* Keep your headlights on during the daytime so that other drivers can see you
If for some reason you do lose control while driving remember the following:
* Don’t slam on the brakes; apply the brakes in a firm but steady manner
* Steer your vehicle in the direction of the skid
* For vehicles with anti-lock brakes, apply more pressure to the brakes but don’t try to pump them
Tire Time
Check your tires. Having bald tires will only make things worse when driving in the rain.
* Perform regularly tire checks for tread wear; your tire’s treads need to be at least 1/16 of an inch deep
* Once a month check your tire’s air pressure
* Visit your mechanic and have him rotate your tires during routine maintenance to help tires wear evenly
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