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Driving tips for wet roads
MIDRAND - Roads, like many around Gauteng, are wet and slippery. Potholes have also increased in size and some dirt roads have turned into rivers.
A steady stream of water has been running down Steyn Road in President Park which has left a donga.
Dialdirect Insurance has urged drivers to be careful on the roads. Warwick Scott-Rodger of the insurance company said, “Roads become slick and slippery when it rains so drivers must adapt their driving style, speed, following distance, settings on their vehicle, and be prepared for emergency situations. It’s also imperative for drivers to ensure that their vehicles are in a good condition to perform effectively in adverse weather situations.”
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He offered the following tips:
- Always turn on your vehicle’s headlights when driving in wet weather.
- In heavy rain, use the brightest setting for your car’s tail-lights to improve visibility for vehicles behind you.
- Make sure that your wiper blades are in good condition and do a good, clean sweep to ensure maximum visibility.
- Avoid the build-up of fog on the inside of your car windows as this dramatically reduces visibility. Use the anti-fog features.
- Cloudy and rainy weather makes for poor visibility so take extra care when passing other vehicles. Spray from other vehicles reduces visibility considerably.
- Adjust your speed and following distance to ensure that you can safely stop within the visible area ahead. Cars need more distance to stop on wet roads. Allow at least four to eight seconds between your car and the car in front of you.
- Avoid abrupt acceleration, braking and steering movements. Sudden stops and turns may result in skidding.
- Do not drive through flooded areas unless you are sure that the water is below the bottom of the wheel rims.
- If you have car trouble, turn on your hazard lights and pull completely off the road. If possible, ensure that you have a reflective triangle that can be placed on the road – a sufficient distance behind your car to warn oncoming motorists.
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*Article first published in 2014
