PRECAUTIONS IN ADVERSE CONDITIONS

Driving can be a very stressful activity especially of the weather is bad.  Weather plays a big part in our everyday driving.  An experienced and responsible driver is constantly aware of the weather conditions around them and takes precautions accordingly:

Rain:  driving at high speeds in wet road will cause the vehicle to skid.  The first few drops make the road conditions worst as all the dust and oil mixes with water making road surface very slippery.  Don’t brake hard and start you accelerate gently and slowly.  Be extra cautious while making turns and changing lanes.  Avoid driving near curves where there is excess water as the car may hydroplane and you may loose control easily at high speed.

Hydroplaning: occurs when the tread of the tires is not coping with the volume of water. Even a good tire may have trouble coping, let alone a bald one. When the car is hydroplaning, the driver loses steering; the car feels like it is floating, which it literally is. The remedy is to come off the accelerator immediately, don’t brake. The tires should make contact again with the road; otherwise a little braking may be in order.

Strong Winds: hold your steering wheel firmly because there an high risk of being pushed into oncoming traffic or even off the road.  Be careful while driving near big trucks, they create strong wind gusts.  Always reduce speed and hold your steering wheel firmly.

The outline of the warning sign and advisory speed is barely visible against the setting sun.

Reduce speed, because you can’t read the sign or assess the shape of the bend.

Sun glare: can be blinding.  Wear sunglasses and protect your vision by folding down the sun visor. Don’t look directly into sun and keep your windshield clean.

Ice:  Drive slowly and accelerate gently.  People have known to get killed at 20km/hr on icy roadway.  If the weather is too bad avoid driving.  If you cannot, make sure that you drive slowly and cautiously and don’t follow another vehicle too closely.  Carry enough windshield washer fluid so that you can see clearly.  Be extra cautious on bridges and culverts.