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Tips For Driving In Wet Weather This Spring

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Spring is almost here! During this rainy time of year, it's important to know how to drive safely over wet roads. The following tips will help you arrive safely at your destinations while driving in wet conditions this spring.

Leave Early and Keep Your Schedule Flexible

The best way to protect yourself when it's wet outside is to leave early, drive slowly, and keep your schedule flexible so you don't have to feel pressure to arrive on time. This will help you avoid hurrying while you drive.

Know What to Do When Hydroplaning

Driving slowly will help you avoid hydroplaning; however, if your car begins to hydroplane anyway, knowing what to do will help you avoid an accident. If you feel the car sliding over puddles, take your foot gently off the accelerator and straighten the steering wheel until the car regains traction. Avoid braking and avoid turning the wheel sharply in any direction. When the car eventually rights itself on the pavement, drive more slowly throughout your journey to avoid the same occurrence somewhere else.

Stay Away from the Edge

To encourage water to run off the road, many roads are sloped so that the middle of the road is higher and the edge of the road is lower. During times of heavy rainfall, driving near the middle of the road can help you avoid the worst and most dangerous puddles.

Go Around Large Puddles, Running Water

Large puddles are dangerous for a variety of reasons. Gauging the depth of large puddles can be difficult, and many puddles can conceal unseen potholes. To avoid problems, go around large puddles. If you must drive through a large puddle, go slowly and drive as close to the edge of the puddle as possible.

Running water can be even more dangerous than large puddles. Never drive through running water, even if you believe the water isn't deep. Running water is a powerful force that can sweep a car off its tires. If you encounter running water going through the middle of the road, turn around and find another route to your destination.   

Keep the Defogger Running

Your car's windshield can fog quickly and without warning during times of cold, wet weather. To avoid problems, keep the defogger running throughout your journey. Turn off the "recycled air" option on the dash, as this will recirculate wet air through the car. If your windshield begins to fog up even with the defogger running, turn on your air conditioning to dehumidify the air. You can turn off the air conditioner when the humidity goes away.

Know Who to Call for Help

Despite your best efforts, accidents can still happen. If you should happen to get into an accident when driving through dangerous conditions this spring, having a phone number for a tow truck service can help you get your day back on track. Keep the phone number for a tow truck service like Arctic Thunder Towing & Recovery plugged into your cell phone. This way you'll know who to call if your car should need a tow after an accident.


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