Rainy Season Driving

The Rainy Season is here again.

Say hello to the cool weather, torrential rains, giant potholes, muddy roads, flash flooding and off course… the resulting mega Traffic!

Luckily, unlike last year; this year the Rainy Season started a bit later than expected. Let’s just pray that the Season doesn’t try to make up for its short duration by increasing its
intensity.

If the downpour experienced on Wednesday June 10th is a preview of things to come then we had better brace ourselves!

● Is Your Car Ready?

Is your Car Ready for the Rainy Season? Do you have Wheel Liners and Splash Guards
covering your front wheels? They can help prevent dirt, water and sand from getting
under the hood, into your headlights, air filters and fenders etc.

How about your Umbrella, is it in the car? You never know when you’ll have no choice but to dash out
into the rain.

● Check Your Tyres

Rainy season isn’t the best time to be using worn out tyres. Even brand new tyres will
have a difficult time maintaining grip.

If your tires are wearing out (check the tread depth), then now is a good time to get them replaced. Don’t forget to also keep them properly inflated!

● Windshield Wipers
This is a good time to invest in good Windshield wipers. When the rain is pouring down
heavily, good Wipers will clear the windshield in a single stroke and won’t make any
funny, irritating noises.

If you can’t afford to invest in a premium pair right now then the generic budget brands sold on the road by street hawkers will suffice.

● Check your Brakes
Get your mechanic to inspect your Braking System (Pads and Discs) to ensure they’re in
good working condition. The last thing you want is unresponsive breaks or worn out pads
in the middle of heavy rain.

A poor braking system could greatly increase your stoppage time or add a measure of uncertainty which could result in you ramming into the car in front of you or a tree at the side of the road.

● Visibility Zero
Never drive when your vision is impaired by heavy rain. If you can’t see what’s in
front of you too clearly then try to park and wait out the heavy part of the rain.

Know where the Defog button is in your car. It will help improve visibility.

● Light up the Way
It’s good practise to drive with full beam to improve your visibility whether in heavy
rain or even light rain. It will help you see the road and help other drivers see you.
It’s also a good idea to turn on your Hazard lights to help other drivers, especially
those behind you to see you better! Regularly check that your headlights, rear lights,
brake lights & turn indicators are working properly.

● Keep Your Distance!
Always keep your distance from the car ahead of you. It takes 3 times longer to brake
on wet roads than it does on dry roads. Give trucks and buses extra distance.

Never break suddenly, in case the car behind you isn’t keeping their distance or isn’t
concentrating. In light fog, light rain or nighttime, double the distance between your car and other cars to a minimum of 4 seconds.

● Slow Down!
Your stopping distance is greatly affected by the road conditions. During heavy rain,
when there’s a lot of water on the road, there is less traction between your Car’s
tyres and the road.

Rain also mixes with grime and oil on the road which can result in
skidding. Also try to avoid using your brakes whenever possible. Instead, slow down by
taking your foot off the accelerator.

If you notice yourself using the breaks often then it’s usually an indication that you’re moving too fast.

● Maximum Speed
Rainy season isn’t the time to be doing 120kmph. Limit your speed to a maximum of
60kmph, or even less as the case may be.

The slower you move, the more time you’ll have to react to a hazard, the more likely you’ll be able to break in time, and the less likely you’ll suffer from any serious injuries if you get into an accident.

● Aquaplaning
This happens when you’re driving and water forms a layer between your Car tyres and the
Road. This can lead to a loss of traction which makes your Car unresponsive to control.
Aquaplaning can result in Skidding/Drifting out of your lane or even off the road.
Avoid entering large puddles of water, instead slow down and drive around them.

● Don’t Lose Control!
If you find yourself Skidding on the Road then by all means resist the urge to
slam/pump the brakes! If you do this, what happens is your tyres will lose traction
which will make your car unresponsive to control.

Instead, apply steady pressure to your brakes to maintain traction and steer in direction of the skid and you’ll stay in control.

● Trailing
Now that you know what Aquaplaning is, one way to avoid it and ensure that your tyres
have adequate traction is to drive in the tyre trails of the Car infront
of you.

We didn’t say drive bumpertobumper! Notice the water trail left behind by the wheels of
the car in-front of you? Well these trails have less water due to displacement by the
tyres. So by driving in these tracks you’re guaranteed maximum traction.

● You Sabi the Road?

The Rainy Season is probably not the best time to be exploring new routes in a bid to beat the traffic. Instead, stick with routes you’re familiar with, you will have a good idea where all the trouble spots like potholes are and avoid them even if they are
completely submerged underwater and you can’t see them. If you must navigate go as slow as possible.

● If you must go Swimming…

Sometimes there’s no avoiding those deep puddles of water. If you have no other choice
but to cross then make sure you switch off your AC (ensures water isn’t sucked in) and
you move through at a moderate speed so that your momentum can help your tyres overcome any slippery surfaces.

● Stuck in the Mud
Make sure you carry a Tow strap in your trunk at all times in case you get stuck in mud
and need to be towed out. If you suddenly find yourself stuck in mud don’t spin your
tires at high speeds.

It generates a lot of heat which could damage your car components
and prove expensive in the long run. Instead stop, put your car in reverse and try to slowly back out.

Flooring or Pumping the throttle in slippery mud won’t give your tyres
adequate time to grip the ground, and will instead end up digging you further down into
the dirt.

● Watch Out for Pedestrians
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a Car, especially during the Rainy Season.
Please don’t compound their shortcomings by giving them a Second Bath for the day.

Be mindful of Puddles, and if you see Pedestrians nearby slow down or navigate around the Puddles to avoid splashing muddy water on them.

Enjoy your drive.