Principles of Safe Driving in the Rain

In the fall, traditionally, there are more precipitation on the roads in the form of rain. Driving in the rain still requires special attention from drivers. Today we will tell you about the main rules of driving in rainy weather.

Remember about distance

It's not enough to keep the usual distance, it should be increased proportionally to the intensity of the rain. The reasons are quite simple and everyone understands them, but few people remember about them. The more intense the rain, the more water on the road, the longer the braking distance. Also, try to avoid neighboring cars that keep a dangerous distance behind you. It's better to let such a car pass and choose a safe "neighbor" for movement.

Reduce speed

Speed should be adjusted proportionally to the intensity of the rain and the thickness of the water film on the road. Remember that the tire brakes and provides controllability only on a dry surface. The tread pattern must have time to dry the contact spot before the tire comes into contact with the road surface. By increasing speed, you complicate this process, and most importantly, the contact spot decreases.

Monitor pressure

Of course, if the rain started suddenly, then it's not up to adjusting the pressure. This advice is more relevant if you are going on a long trip in overcast weather. Bring the tires in accordance with the recommendations for a full load of the car. As a rule, this is 0.2-0.3 bar higher than the usual norm. This measure will help better cope with the formation of a water wedge and reduce the likelihood of aquaplaning. After the trip, don't forget to adjust the pressure to the recommended one.

Don't stop on dirt shoulders

Especially this applies to intercity driving. Here, for stops, you should choose specialized points or gas stations. Especially this applies to cars with tire wear of more than 50%. A muddy shoulder can lead to a sharp loss of controllability and, as a consequence, the car may get into a ditch. Even if this didn't happen, it will be quite difficult to gain sufficient speed from a dirt shoulder for safe entry into the stream. Well, and of course, it's worth noting that stopping on the ground will simply lead to the fact that there will be more dirt on the roads.

Of course, it's worth remembering the condition of your tires. Leading manufacturers PIRELLI and CONTINENTAL advise changing tires when the residual tread depth is 3 mm, without waiting for the tread wear indicators to reach 1.6 mm, precisely to reduce the likelihood of dangerous situations on the roads in rainy weather.