We can’t predict the weather, but we would be able to foresee fairly common situations when an adverse climate present in the meantime we are driving. Being careful and responsible for your passengers and changing driving habits will be the best way to minimize accidents and effects so that it could be caused when weather conditions turn bad.
The roads become wet and slippery, in countries where rains fall often. It combined with dust, fuel, and soot from other vehicles can cause a sliding car which is so dangerous. Heavy rain situations could cause that you lose control over braking or steering.
Ice over roads is a deadly trap. It is not visible easily because they form a pool that turns into black ice. Be careful because vehicles would convert like the people on a skating rink. The first fall of snow is dangerous too, even more, the roads haven’t yet been gritted.
Usually, fog is unexpected and can result in very dangerous, creating hazardous driving conditions. Common sense will be our only ally to confront and to drive trouble-free when we confront fog.
Driving night is three times more risk than driving during the day. The vision is severely limited, the depth perception, color recognition, and peripheral vision are also diminished. For these reasons long journeys must be avoided but if this is not possible take a rest always you can or designate a co-pilot if you plan this kind of travel.
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Weather conditions and recommendations:
Weather conditions: Fog
Fog is formed when the temperature drops to dew points as a cloud at ground level. It could reduce visibility to ΒΌ mile or less. The best advice is to pull off the road into a rest area but if you must drive consider these precautions:
- Slow down before you enter fog.
- Switch off to fog lights. Slow down and look at the mirrors.
- Always reduced your speed. Pay attention in the car in front of you and use the right edge of the road as a guide.
- Pay special attention to other drivers who not use fog lights or dipped headlights. Don’t take risks.
- Listen for traffic you cannot see.
- Be aware when visibility conditions reduce as: twilight, darkness, rain, snow, fog, smoke, and bright sunshine.
- To deal with bright sunlight you must have a pair of sunglasses in your vehicle.
Weather conditions: Night Driving
The main related factors that influence night accidents are the driver, the roadway and the vehicle. Definitely you will get a greater risk if you drive at night. Driver factors are vision, glare, and fatigue. Roadway factors are poor lighting and drunk drivers. Vehicle factors include headlights, reflectors, taillights, clearance lights, marker lights, and identification lights, turn signals and brake lights, windshield and mirrors.
Follow these driving indications:
- Don’t abuse of lights, turn headlights on the appropriate hour. Use low beams with fog lamps, only during fog or inclement weather.
- Your vehicle always must be visible and all exterior lights work properly. But if your car breakdown, pull off the road and turn on emergency flashers.
- Avoid looking oncoming headlights; use the “day-night” feature on the mirror to avoid glare from other vehicles. Keep your attention in the white line.
- Dim and keep the appropriate vehicle’s interior lighting to reduce glare.
- Clean windshield, all windows, and headlights. It will reduce efficiently the glare.
- Maintain the distance around five seconds; it will give you more time to react in potential problems.
- Drive at a prudent speed. It will allow distance yourself from a risk accident.
- Take a short nap and never drive tired. Keep good ventilation inside the vehicle.
- Avoid driving distractions.
Weather conditions: Rainy Weather
Probably rainy weather can cause the most indescribable accidents. Maintain your vehicle up to scratch and you can keep yourself and passengers safe on the road.
During heavy rain conditions you should:
- Keep the speed down, is possible that a layer of water formed and the tires of a car don’t touch the road, you wouldn’t be able to take the control to brake or steer.
- Double stop distance to the car in front of you. Prepare to reduce always the pressure on the brake pedal to avoid an accident.
- Always visibility in rainy weather is reduced for drivers. You need to turn on your headlight to get more visible to other drivers.
In flooded roads:
- Avoid driving on flooded roads, turn back and find another way.
- Water is dangerous, it can cause to float a car and easily move away from a road or bridge.
- Leave the car if you notice that water rises rapidly.
- Driving in floodwater, move slowly in first gear, and keep the engine speed high.
Weather conditions: Winter Weather
Over ice and snow roads you must have more special attention and make sure your vehicle is ready for winter weather, there will be enough antifreeze in the system to protect against freezing and defrosters and windshield washer must be working.
In extreme conditions consider:
- Check your vehicle, it must be clean of snow, especially windows, mirrors, and lights.
- Be careful and drive slowly.
- Testing your grip on the road.
- Be cautious, especially on roundabouts when you treat bends on road covered with ice.
- Control of vehicles would be better if you drive in high gear.