If you have to drive somewhere in rainy or snowy weather you must understand and manage the risk that driving in such weather presents.

How Can You Manage Visibility, Time, and Space in Rain and Snow?

Rain and snow decrease your ability to see not only ahead of you but all around you as well. Decreased visibility makes it difficult for you to judge distances and to manage time and space as well. Bad weather conditions make it much harder for other drivers and pedestrians to see your car.

Heavy rain or snow can limit your view so that you can’t see very far ahead or even the edges of the roadway. Snow collecting on your windshield can produce blind areas making it difficult to see. Snowy or rainy weather can make the roadway slick, reducing the ability of your tires to grip the road and increasing your risk of collision. Here are some steps you can take to minimize risk in rain or snow.

• Prepare in advance

Start by cleaning your car’s windows and lights. Check the tread and pressure of your tires. Check the headlights, windshield wipers, and defroster to make sure they are in good working condition. 

• Allow for extra margin of safety. 

Drive more slowly and leave extra space between your car and other vehicles. 

• Drive in the tracks of the vehicle ahead of you.

Those tracks are drier than the surrounding surface and offer better traction.

• Give other drivers plenty of advance notice.

When you intend to slow down or turn, communicate your intentions early so that other drivers have time to react accordingly. 

• Be alert.

Be on the watch for pedestrians dashing for shelter.

• Keep your low beam headlights on. 

Increase the distance you can see and make your car more visible to other drivers and pedestrians. 

• Ease your way into turns and curves.

Avoid sudden acceleration, starts, or stops. If rain becomes so heavy that not even your windshield wipers’ highest speed can keep up with the downpour, then pull well off the road in a protected area and wait for the storm to lessen in intensity. Turn on your emergency flashers to warn other drivers you are stopped. You may need to pull over if your windshield wipers have become crusted with ice causing blind areas on your windshield. Use a scraper to remove all of the buildup on your windshield and run your defroster before you resume driving. 

How Can You Minimize Risk in Snow and Rain?

One way to avoid risk entirely is to postpone driving until the weather clears. Whenever possible, wait until the roads are plowed and salted before venturing out on them. If you do have to drive under snowy conditions be aware that there is great danger of skidding. Drive slowly and extremely cautiously. Allow yourself an extra-large margin of safety. When you do want to slow down, stop, or turn, maneuver the car gently and gradually to reduce the probability of losing control of your car and going into a skid. Keep on hand the cold weather items such as a windshield scraper, jumper cables, and emergency flares.

Anticipate and Prevent Skids

If you change speed or direction gradually and smoothly rather than abruptly you will minimize the risk of skidding. Anticipate situations in which skids are likely and take steps to maintain control of your car, always allow yourself extra time and space to brake and steer. If you’re approaching a sharp curve, slow down well in advance and keep a firm grip on the steering wheel, turning the wheel slowly. 

Anticipate and Prevent Hydroplaning

During the first 10 to 15 minutes of a rainfall, the roads are at their slickest. This occurs because the rain’s moisture mixes with surface dirt and oil to form a slippery film which reduces the ability of your tires to grip the road. 

At speeds as low as 35 mph the tires of a vehicle can lose contact with the road and lift up off the roadway causing the vehicle to hydroplane. Hydroplaning is very dangerous because it severely limits your ability to control your car. To reduce the chance of hydroplaning, reduce speed when driving on wet roadways.