Over the years Utah has seen its fair share of wet, stormy weather. With experts predicting more extreme weather due to climate change, drivers are likely to experience harsh driving conditions on a more frequent basis.
Heavy rains can quickly reduce your visibility and create slippery and dangerous road conditions. Taking simple precautions and knowing what to do if you get caught in an extreme weather storm will help keep you safe.
If you get caught in a storm, follow these guidelines
- Slow down. The first few hours of rain are often the most dangerous. When rain falls, it mixes with whatever else is on the road surface. For example, spilt fuel, oil, grease, dirt and mud, all of which can combine to make the road surface as slippery as an ice rink.
- Be seen. Switch on your headlights regardless of daylight. This will help your vision and let other drivers see you in their mirrors more clearly.
- Can you see? Use your wipers for maximum visibility and switch on your “defogger” if necessary. For fastest defogging, use the AC with the temperature set at “hot”. This will also clear condensation from other windows.
- Lengthen your stopping distance. Stay well back from the car in front, you should double, if not triple the two second gap rule.
- Traffic lights and Intersections. Give yourself plenty of time to slow down when approaching traffic lights or street intersections.
- Scanning. Use the defensive driving technique of constantly scanning the road for vehicles, pedestrians, animals, and broken down or abandoned vehicles.
- Double check mirrors. Take extra care when overtaking or turning left or right. In heavy rain or gloomy conditions, drivers who have not switched on their lights can be especially difficult to see in your side mirrors.
- Lighten your touch. Wet roads need finesse not strength. Avoid heavy braking, accelerating or abrupt steering.
- Cruise Control. Never use cruise control in the rain. Many cruise controls, don’t take loss of traction into account when computing cruise control, so if you start slipping, the cruise control will start to speed up!
- Hydroplaning. Hydroplaning happens when the water in front of your tyres builds up faster than your car’s weight can push it out of the way. Avoid hydroplaning by slowing down when you see water lying on the surface of the road.
