Seven tips for safely driving in rainy conditions

Despite having been slammed with multiple winter storms recently, Spring is just around the corner. With warmer weather comes more extensive travel, which may mean that the number of car accidents seen on Connecticut’s roadways will increase.

And the frequency of these accidents can increase depending on the weather. After all, the rainy conditions that often accompany the season can make driving more treacherous. Rain can decrease visibility, increase stopping times, and cause tired and fatigued drivers to nod off. As frightening as that may sound, there are precautions that you can take to protect yourself while driving in rainy weather. Therefore, you may want to consider each of the following:

1. Wait it out: One option to protect yourself is to simply wait to drive until the weather clears. This is the best way to ensure that you’ll have increased visibility when you hit the road, but we know that this isn’t always a possibility.
2. Check windshield wipers and tires: Before heading out, you may want to assess the condition of your windshield wipers and your tires. After all, damaged windshield wipers can make it hard to see when driving in the rain, and tires with worn treads have less traction capabilities. Either of these problems on their own can increase your chances of an accident, but the existence of both problems can be especially risky.
3. Address the interior of your windows: Excess moisture in the cabin of your vehicle can cause your windows to fog up. This moisture, and any dirt or grime that may be on your windows, can diffuse light from other vehicles, which can make it even more difficult to see. So, make sure that your car has proper ventilation and that you clean the inside of your windshield before heading out in the rain.
4. Drive slowly: This seems like common sense, but when you’re driving in the rain, you should drive more slowly so that you’re better able to stop when needed.
5. Leave more distance: In conjunction with driving more slowly, you should leave more space between your vehicle and the car in front of you when driving in wet conditions. This will better ensure that you can stop your vehicle in time to prevent an accident if the person in front of you slams on his or her brakes.
6. Don’t slam on the brakes: If you lock up your brakes while driving in the rain, then you’re much more likely to experience sliding. This can cause you to lose control and cause a serious accident. Therefore, to best protect yourself, try to ease on the brakes and anticipate the need to slow down ahead of time, if possible.
7. Avoid puddles: When your car hits standing water, there’s a chance that your tires may lose contact with the road altogether. This can cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Therefore, you should try to avoid driving over puddles if possible. If you do end up hydroplaning, then you should let off the gas and avoid making sudden steering movements.

Be safe and be prepared to protect yourself

As you can see, there’s a lot that you can do to drive defensively and protect yourself when operating your car in rainy conditions. But even the most defensive drivers can be taken by surprise on the roadway, leaving them injured in a serious car accident. If that happens to you, then know that experienced personal injury attorneys are ready to assist you. In the meantime, be safe out there and consider implementing the safety measures that you need to ensure that you’re protecting yourself as fully as possible.