April Showers: 4 Safety Tips for Driving in the Rain

They say April showers bring May flowers, but all that precipitation brings something else, too—dangerous road conditions. If you have to drive in the rain, be safe! Check out these 4 safety tips for driving in the rain from your local used auto parts store, U Wrench It. 

How to Drive Safely in the Rain

Ready your vehicle.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “The best offense is a good defense.” Well, the same principle applies to cars, too. The best thing you can do to drive safely is start by inspecting your car before you hit the road.

Are you headlights and tail lights working? What about your windshield wipers? Does your wiper fluid need to be topped off? And most importantly, have you checked the tread on your tires lately? If your tires are too worn down or “bald,” they will not have as much traction on the surface of the road, which is crucial when driving in the rain. 

If your vehicle needs any repairs, don’t put them off. You can browse our inventory of used auto parts online or visit us in person at our extremely spacious scrap lot to pull the part yourself. (We are sensitive to the current pandemic and ask that customers practice social distancing when visiting us.)

Slow your roll.

Look, we all want to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible… But it’s better to be safe than sorry. When it’s raining, reduce your speed to account for the road conditions. According to DefensiveDriving.com, you should generally reduce your speed by one third to account for wet road conditions. For example, if the speed limit is 60 mph, you should drop to 40 mph. If the speed limit is 75 mph, drop to 50 mph. 

Get lit. 

Here in Georgia, you have to have your lights on if you’re using your windshield wipers, even during the day—it’s the law. Rain decreases visibility, so it’s important to keep your lights on both so that you can see other drivers more easily, and so that other drivers can see you. And don’t rely on your automatic running lights; it’s important to turn your lights on so the back of your car is illuminated, too. 

Drive carefully. 

It sounds simple, but you’d be amazed at how many accidents are caused by failure to respond to road conditions. Leave more space than usual between you and other cars. Don’t wait until the last minute to brake; it can take longer to stop on a wet surface. Avoid driving through standing water. And if you do hydroplane (aka lose traction due to a layer of water on the road), don’t panic! Take your foot off the gas pedal and continue to steer the car in the direction it needs to go. Do not slam on the brakes; doing so can cause you to lose control of the vehicle even more. 

We hope these safety tips for driving in the rain help you to stay safe on the road!