Top Tips for Driving in Heavy Rain

When the rain is pouring down, it’s generally better to be inside your vehicle than walking down the sidewalk. Being in your car, you will at least be able to stay dry and avoid the chill that comes with getting soaked on a chilly Idaho morning or evening.

With that said, you still can’t take things for granted while driving in a heavy rain, as this situation can present some dangers of its own. We’d like to use this article to highlight the ways in which driving in a heavy rainstorm can be dangerous, and what steps you should take to keep you and your passengers safe.

Are you in the market for a new or used vehicle in the Sandpoint area? Or do you need to have some service performed on your current vehicle? Either way, Taylor & Sons Chevrolet would be proud to serve you. Give us a call at your convenience or stop by to see us in person.

The Golden Rule of Driving in Bad Weather

You won’t be surprised to find that the best tip you can receive for driving in heavy rain is exactly the same as the tip you’ll get for driving in any other kind of bad weather – slow down! Without a doubt, this is the best way to cut down on the chances of a dangerous accident in these conditions. By reducing your speed, you’ll immediately have more time to react to things around you, and any issues with losing traction on the road won’t be as dramatic.

Yes, it’s okay to drive under the speed limit in cases of inclement weather. Some drivers seem committed to maintaining the normal speed limit in a downpour, but that just isn’t necessary. You should be driving at a speed that is suitable for the conditions at hand, and when it’s absolutely pouring, that usually doesn’t mean driving the posted speed limit. You can always speed back up when the rain takes a break and the road conditions improve.

Turn On Your Lights

Even if it is the middle of the day, turn your headlights on when the rain is coming down aggressively. Heavy rain makes it harder for everyone else on the road to see, and they’ll have an easier time picking you out between the raindrops if you have your lights on. This is always a good plan, but it’s particularly important when driving on two-lane roads without a middle divider. This can be a dangerous situation in heavy rain, so flipping on your lights is a good safety measure to help other drivers clearly identify your position on the road.

Watch for Standing Water

It’s not only the visibility that is a concern when driving in these conditions, but also the conditions of the road. Specifically, watch out for standing water at low spots in the road, as significant standing water could cause a couple of different types of problems. First, your tires might “hydroplane” on top of the water, meaning they will lose contact with the pavement and your vehicle may slide out of control. That’s a serious safety issue so you’ll want to take your speed down significantly, if possible, when approaching any area of standing water.

Another risk that comes with standing water is flooding your engine if the water comes up too high. You can never quite tell how deep standing water will be, so always proceed with caution, even if you don’t think it is very deep. When a large volume of water splashes up under the hood of your vehicle, it can cause serious trouble that may bring your journey to a sudden halt.

Consider Taking a Break

There might come a point where the rain is simply too severe to make it worth continuing your trip. If you aren’t comfortable with the conditions, or if you think that it’s just too dangerous to be on the road, look for a safe place to pull off and wait out the storm. This is one of those situations in life where it is far better to be safe than sorry.

The threshold for what qualifies as dangerous conditions is much lower at night when it is dark outside. Where you might be able to make it through comfortably during the day, similar rain conditions at night might be too much to take on without undue risk. Specifically, it can get hard to see things like lane lines and road signs when it is dark and the rain is relentless.

Have Good Wipers Installed

It’s easy to take the condition of your windshield wipers for granted, as it doesn’t seem like they would change much as time passes. They do wear out, however, and the rubber blades that wipe water off of your windshield aren’t going to work as well as they used to. If you just stick with the old blades that were originally installed on your vehicle, it will become difficult to get the windshield effectively cleared off.

Fortunately, it’s easy and affordable to replace your old blades with new ones. You can find replacement blades that fit your vehicle at just about any auto parts store, and most people can handle changing them out as a DIY project. Simply follow the directions provided with the new blades and you should be done with this task in just a few minutes.

It will never be as nice to drive in a heavy rain as it is to cruise across Idaho on a sunny afternoon, but you have to be ready for anything in this part of the world. When the rain does pour down, we hope the tips above will be helpful in keeping you out of trouble and allowing you to reach your destination safely. We appreciate your visit to our site and please feel free to reach out if Taylor & Sons Chevy can serve you in any way.

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