If it’s raining heavily or flooding, the roads will be dangerous to drive on. You need to take extra care so that you and everyone else on the road get to their destination safely.
Before you go on your journey, ask yourself if you really need to go out in the bad weather. Is it essential? Can it be delayed until after the bad weather subsides?
If you need to go out in the rain, or if you’re caught in the bad weather or flood, here are some things you can do to prepare and stay safe on the road.
Check your vehicle
You should check your vehicle regularly to ensure it remains in good condition. Make sure your windscreen wipers are working and that your tyres are at the legal tread depth, so your car will have a good amount of grip on the road.
Fill your car up with fuel before going out, in case you need to travel further than anticipated due to road closures, floods, or slips. Good visibility is important too, so make sure your windows are clean and not fogged up, so you can see all angles. If your windows are fogging up, turn on the demister or open your windows.
Stay updated and connected
Make sure to follow the advice of Civil Defence and emergency services and check for road closures before you drive off. Keep your phone with you in case you get stuck and need to call for help.
Adjust your driving
Wet roads can be very slippery. It’s important to adjust your driving to suit the conditions. Avoid tailgating cars by increasing your following distance from four seconds to six seconds so you can react to any dangers.
Look ahead to try and spot big puddles, especially if you’re driving over 70km/h. You also want to reduce your overall speed, as you can lose control very easily in wet weather conditions, especially if you have to brake suddenly.
If you’re driving through deep water, try not to exceed 5km/hour as you will end up overtaking the bow wave generated at the front of the vehicle.
Turn your headlights on
When driving in wet weather, you need to see and be seen. Make sure you have your headlights on as rain reduces visibility on the road. This makes it easier for you to see other cars and it will help others see you too.
What to do in heavy floods
If you find yourself caught in a flood, you need to be extra careful when driving. If you drive too fast, the bow wave caused by your vehicle could drench other road users, and the water could find its way into your vehicle’s engine bay.
This is dangerous, as the pistons in your engine won’t be able to compress the water and will cause what’s known as hydrolock and engine failure. Avoid crossing fast-flowing flood water, especially if you don’t know its depth.
If you’re stuck in a queue of cars, it’s best for each car to pass through the waters one by one. This will give you and other drivers a good idea of whether it’s safe to cross the flooded area or not. Also, if more than one car passes through and it’s not safe to cross, emergency services will need to rescue the occupants of more than one car in the flooded area.
Once you’ve safely crossed the flooded area test your brakes. This will help remove water so they’re back to normal operation when you need them.
If your vehicle has been caught in floodwaters, it’s recommended that you don’t drive it. You also shouldn’t attempt to start your vehicle, as water could be inside the engine and electrical systems. Wait for the car to dry out or contact your roadside assistance or local service station for advice before you attempt and drive it.