Driving In Rain

I live in Texas where we have been dealing with a severe drought for the past several

years.

Fortunately, this past May the entire state received record rainfall.

The good news, of course, is that almost all of the state is now free of drought; the bad news for drivers is that they have to remind themselves how to drive safely in rain and

on wet roadways.

So for all of you Texans, and for anyone else who needs a set of reminders, here are some tips that will help you to stay safe when you

are driving in rain.

My Father Gave My A Safety Tip For Driving In Rain

I was taught by my father when I first learned to drive to use the 2-second

following rule in order to maintain a safe distance between my vehicle and the one in

front of me.

When I am driving in rain, I make a point of

increasing my following distance by using the 3-

second rule.

We all know that stopping distances are greater on wet roads and by increasing my following distance I am giving myself more

space and time to react and stop safely.

When it is raining really hard and I am driving on the freeway, I make it a point to

drive in the same path as the vehicle in front of me.

That drivers tires have just displaced water in the track that they have driven and by my driving in that same track I am able to drive on top of less water and have more contact

with the road surface.

During the rains that we had the past May, there were many cases of drivers who had to be rescued because they had attempted to

drive trough deep water on top of a roadway.

The rule of thumb here is to never drive on a wet roadway if the water on top of the

roadway is so deep that you cannot see the road itself.

Even a few inches of water that is moving across a roadway can

sweep a car off the road.

If you have any question about the safety of crossing a roadway with water on top of it, turn around and find another path to your

destination.

Use Your Headlights When Driving In Rain

And finally, remember to turn your headlights on when driving in rain.

Having your headlights on will help other drivers to see you and you to see other

drivers.

When I was a kid playing in the rain was a lot of fun and safe to do.

Driving in rain reminds me of those experiences and I can do so safely by using

the strategies outlined in this article.