Few people actually enjoy driving in the rain, but sometimes it can’t be avoided – especially here in Florida. When you take into account that rainy weather increases the likelihood of a serious accident, driving in the rain becomes more of a liability than a pain.
Luckily, taking a few precautions could help decrease your chance of being in a Tampa auto accident due to inclement weather. Here are six tips to help keep you safe behind the wheel in the rain:
1. Slow Down
Take your time while driving in the rain. It not only helps prevent hydroplaning, but it also allows you more reaction time should something go wrong. Slowing down and avoiding hard brakes and sharp turns can lower your chances of hydroplaning. If the rain is really coming down, pull off to the side of the road until things lighten up and travel is safer.
2. Keep Your Lights On
It may be a no-brainer, but it’s especially important in the rain. Your headlights may be the only way that other drivers can see you. Make sure your lights are on when it’s raining, and use emergency lights if you need to pull over to the side of the road.
3. Pass on Cruise Control
Cruise control is a huge convenience, but it can be dangerous to use during severe weather. Using cruise control in the rain increases your chance of losing traction. Cruise control can also cause some drivers to zone-out while driving, and this can be a costly mistake.
4. Leave Room for Others
Tailgating or driving too close to others is always a risky practice. When coupled with rain, it becomes even more deadly. Making sudden stops is more difficult when driving on wet roads, and if you’re following too closely then you may get into a rear-end accident with the car in front of you. Leave plenty of room around your car during heavy rainfall.
5. Avoid Driving Through High Water
Avoid crossing high or flowing water at all costs. Moving water can easily move your car, and it’s often difficult to tell just how deep water is until it’s too late. When possible, turn around and find an alternate route.
6. Do Preventative Maintenance
Driving in the rain is almost impossible without working windshield wipers. Be proactive in checking your windshield wipers, and replace them if they aren’t doing their job properly. Replace headlights as soon as possible if they go out.
If you do find yourself in an automobile accident, you could be eligible to receive compensation for any losses you may have suffered. Contact Lorenzo & Lorenzo, Tampa’s top-rated auto accident personal injury law firm, today for a free consultation to see how we can help.
