Tips for safe driving in heavy rain

(Baonghean.vn) - Rain showers are always a challenge for car drivers. At that time, visibility behind the wheel is limited, along with slippery roads, which are two factors that cause traffic safety problems.The following notes will help drivers have a safer journey when driving in heavy rain.

Reduce speed, avoid sudden braking

When encountering sudden rain, the first reflex is to lower or release the accelerator to slow down the car slowly until you start to get used to the limited visibility due to the rain. Slowing down is necessary when accelerating quickly, but you should avoid sudden braking because your car can skid and lose control.

Do not use the handbrake when the vehicle is skidding.

Instead, slowly release the accelerator and steer the car straight until it regains stability, using the foot brake lightly until the car returns to balance.

Drive in the middle lane

Even if it has just rained, the edge of the road can be flooded after a short time if the rain is heavy. Therefore, you should try to walk in the middle of the road, because this is the highest and driest place.

Turn on the air conditioner, check the rearview mirror and side mirrors.

Rain sometimes causes a large temperature difference between inside and outside the car, causing the glass to fog up, making it difficult for the driver to see around the car. In this case, it is necessary to turn on the air conditioner to balance the temperature and defrost the glass, making it easier to see, avoiding unnecessary collisions with other vehicles.

Observe the rearview mirrors and actively avoid other vehicles, especially motorbikes and bicycles, because when wearing raincoats, it is difficult to observe the surroundings, as well as listen to approaching vehicles to actively drive in the correct lane.

Brake dry

Wet brake pads will affect the friction force, reducing the braking effect. If you find that the brake pads are wet, dry the contact surface quickly by pressing the brake pedal lightly. Also note that you should not brake suddenly, as this will cause the wheels to lose grip and you will not be able to control the vehicle.

Do not drive near heavy trucks.

Heavy vehicles will create sudden large waves that can flood the intake or exhaust pipes, causing the engine to stall.

Even when it rains and there is no flooding, you should not drive near these vehicles, because the water sprayed from their large wheels will reduce the driver's visibility, making it difficult to handle unexpected situations ahead.

Avoid driving into puddles on the road.

Puddles of rainwater on the road also pose a lot of potential risks when you drive through them. Because those puddles can be a manhole without a cover, or can be a dangerous foreign object that you can’t see. Avoiding it is the safest measure.

Maintain engine speed

When driving in flooded areas, keep the engine speed (rpm) high to avoid water entering the exhaust pipe, causing the car to "die". For manual transmission vehicles, you should keep it in 1st gear, and for automatic transmission vehicles with gears D1, D2..., shift to D1, trying to keep the engine rpm as high as possible.

When the water level reaches half the tire - that is, it has reached the limit that should not be exceeded; for high-chassis vehicles, it is possible to pass but do not let water overflow the front of the car into the air vents and engine.

Never reduce the throttle when the water is above the exhaust pipe because reducing the throttle will reduce the exhaust gas flow force, which can easily allow water to enter the exhaust pipe.

Turn on low beam or fog lights

Turn on your low beams or fog lights even in light rain or overcast weather. This will not only help you see the road better, but will also help other drivers see you clearly. Do not turn on your high beams when there is a car coming from the opposite direction because it will be dangerous for both of you when traveling.

Do not try to cross when there is oncoming traffic.

When passing through deep flooded areas, observe carefully and try to avoid the time when there are vehicles going in the opposite direction because when two vehicles go in opposite directions, it will create waves that will flood the car's hood, causing the risk of water entering the intake or engine cover, which can wet the spark plugs and cause the engine to stall.

When it rains too heavily, you should stop the car.

When the rain is too heavy, you can stop the car, park on the side of the road, turn on the hazard lights and wait for the rain to stop, because heavy rain can overload the wiper blades, causing water to continuously flood the windshield, limiting visibility and also causing trees to fall, causing danger. You should choose a safe parking place, such as open land or a sheltered place.

* How to handle when the car is parked in a flooded area

- Turn off the ignition key,

- Determine the highest point of flooding for the vehicle (even when the water has receded, carefully consider how far the water has flooded to determine the impact on the vehicle). If the water has not reached the center of the wheel, the vehicle can be examined and operated normally.

- If water is above the wheel center, even the floor or the cabin, call for help immediately.

- While waiting for rescue, proactively disconnect the battery cable to turn off the entire electrical system of the vehicle, avoid damage when flooded, and push the vehicle to a dry location.

- Absolutely do not start the vehicle. (If you restart it, it may bend the connecting rod, or worse, break the connecting rod, or break the engine block due to "water hammer")

- It is necessary to clearly state the highest point of flooding to the dealer's technical staff so that they can correctly determine the level of impact on the vehicle and take appropriate measures to check and clean the systems.

Ngoc Anh

(Synthetic)