Depending on where you live, rain is a very common type of weather you may encounter. Rain can make the roads slippery or even make it difficult to see. If you are going to drive through rain, there are some things you will have to consider or adjust.
How-to: Drive Through Rain- Things to Consider
Speed
You will want to reduce your speed if you are going to drive through rain. Speed limits are actually for ideal conditions. Roads can become very slippery when they are wet. This is especially true if it has not rained in a while. This is because oil can build up on the road when it has not been washed away by rain. A mix of oil and rain can lead to a slippery drive. You will likely have to adjust and slow down the speed that you are driving in order to avoid getting into an accident.
Give yourself enough distance between you and the car in front of you. If you are going too fast and tailgating another car, you may end up in an accident. Your car will not brake as quickly in the rain due to the slick roads. It is best to slow down and leave some space.
Headlights
Headlights will help to brighten the road ahead of you. In fact, it is the way in all states that you must turn on headlights when visibility is low. Rainy or stormy conditions certainly can impact driver visibility. Also, many states require having the headlights on when the windshield wipers are turned on. Make sure to turn on your headlights when you drive through rain.
Standing Water
Never drive through standing water. You may not know how deep the water is. This can be very dangerous. In less than one foot of water, your car can float. In fact, two feet of standing water is enough to sweep most vehicles away.
Even a thin layer of water can cause a car to hydroplane. This is where the vehicle loses traction with the road and can be very dangerous. If you have to drive through rain or an area it has recently rained, be on the lookout for standing water.
Proper Maintenance
Balding tires do not get good traction to the road. This can make a car slip. Make sure that your tires have been properly maintained, and have plenty of tread remaining. Also, check your window wiper blades to make sure they are not worn out. Properly functioning window wipers will help to clear your window so that you can see out better. Doing these routine maintenance checks can help make your car much safer when you drive through the rain.