While it might be nice to no longer need to deal with winter storms, the spring can also bring its own dangers. In particular, it’s important to watch for spring showers. Not knowing how to handle the rain could put you at a higher risk of an accident…
Spring Showers: Keeping Control
Slow down
When encountering spring showers, it’s important to first slow down. One of the biggest risks when driving in the rain is hydroplaning. After all, it only takes 1/12th of an inch of water for your tires to lose grip! If you’re going too fast when this occurs, then it’ll become very hard to keep control of your truck.
Therefore, slow down to a manageable, safe speed. This might place you below the speed limit, but it’s much better to be safe rather than sorry. Other drivers will understand, and probably do the same out of similar concerns.
Give enough distance
It’s also important to watch your following distance in spring showers. This is helpful for a number of reasons. First, this will give you plenty of time to brake and make up for the fact that the roads are wet. Slippery roads reduce your tire’s traction, meaning it could take longer to slow down.
Furthermore, it’ll also help keep you safe if another driver loses control or is acting reckless. While you might take precautions, others on the road may not. It’s no surprise, then, that these drivers tend to cause a lot of accidents. Keeping your distance will let you react and avoid getting caught in them yourself.
Learn skid handling
While it’s good to practice preemptive safety in spring showers, you should also know what to do if you start to skid. This can be pretty nerve-wracking, but it’s crucial that you don’t panic. Rather, keep your calm and make the right adjustments to stop skidding.
Avoid slamming on the brakes when you start to skid. It can be tempting, but it’ll end up making matters worse. Instead, lift your foot off the gas, and keep your eyes focused on where you want the truck to go. If you steer this way, you’ll have a much easier time bringing the truck back under control.