Driving Tips for Rainy Weather

Driving in the rain is just a reality that you will have to deal with at some point. Unfortunately, in some situations, the rain may be so intense that you will struggle to see the road, and you will have to drive very carefully. In other cases, the rain will be exceedingly mild, and you won't really have to adjust your driving too much to meet the safety requirements. However hard the rain is pouring, here are some driving tips for rainy weather to ensure that you and your passengers make it home safely.

Driving tips for rainy weather are good to know for any aged driver, especially the younger ones just starting out. Driving a vehicle can be daunting, and adding rain to that can only make it worse.

Driving tips for rainy weather include:

  • Have good wipers. This is something that, unfortunately, you won't notice until inclement weather hits, but when it does, this can be a huge safety issue. If your windshield wipers leave streaks or don't clear the windshield in one sweep, get news ones installed immediately. You need to be able to see completely to avoid a crash.
  • Slow down. Yes, the speed limit is there telling you how fast you can go, but that is during perfect weather conditions. Wind and rain are definitely not perfect, and you want to slow down, so you have better control over your car. In many cases, speeding is a large cause of accidents during the rain, because it is much easier to lose control and skid or spin.
  • Leave plenty of room. People tend to panic when it starts to rain and they're driving, so make sure to leave plenty of room in between you and other vehicles. This way, if they slam on their brakes suddenly, you will not be going straight into them, and instead will have adequate time to pump your breaks without sliding. Rain can make the roadways slick, which means your car will not stop as quickly as you want it to, so be sure to give yourself plenty of space to stop to avoid an accident.
  • Stay calm if you begin to skid. Unfortunately, even if you follow all safety precautions, your car may skid anyway. The most important thing to remember is to stay calm. Don't jerk the steering wheel around, and don't slam on the breaks. Stay looking in the direction you want to go, and continue steering your car that way. If you make any sudden movements with the steering wheel, you may wind up worsening the skid, or worse, overcorrecting into oncoming traffic. Same with braking too hard, you can actually make the skid worse, and lose control.
  • Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel. In inclement weather, strong wind gusts can come out of nowhere, and while it seems that your car should be heavy enough to not be bothered, this is simply not the case. So make sure you have a firm grip on the wheel and are prepared for any wind gusts. These may be especially bad on bridges, so be ready to keep your vehicle firmly in its lane.

Driving tips for rainy weather can help any aged driver on the road, and sometimes we all need a refresher course of how to properly drive in inclement weather. As long as you take your time, and put safety first, you will be good to go in rainy weather.