10 things to remember when driving in stormy weather
Rain and storms will make it difficult for drivers to observe the road, traffic signs and other moving vehicles. In addition, the road is slippery, making it easy to lose control; therefore, when traveling at this time, the first thing to do is to go slowly, not rush and observe carefully.
The following 10 tips will help you drive more safely in stormy weather:
1.Maintain a reasonable distance from the vehicle in front. Do not drive parallel to other vehicles, especially heavy trucks, to avoid water splashing on the windshield.
2.If possible, try to observe the tire tracks of the car in front so you can proactively avoid the mishaps that the car in front encountered.
3.Turn on low beam, high beam or fog lights even in light rain or cloudy weather, this not only helps you see the road better, but also helps other vehicles see you. Do not turn on high beam when there is a vehicle coming from the opposite direction because it will be dangerous for both of you when traveling.
4.If conditions permit, drive in the center of the road, as the sides of the road are often low and there are likely to be deep holes under the water.
5.Do not exceed the visibility limit. Heavy rain will limit the driver's vision and may cause the driver to make incorrect judgments about the situation.
6.When driving in flooded areas, try to keep the engine speed high (rpm) to avoid water entering the exhaust pipe, causing the car to stall. For manual transmission cars, you should keep it in 1st gear, and for automatic transmission cars with gears D1, D2… (or 2, L) shift to D1, try to keep the rpm as high as possible.
7.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 must not let the water overflow the front of the car into the air intake and engine. Do not drive at high speed into a puddle, because it is very easy for water to enter the air intake, as well as create "water waves", dangerous for other vehicles.
8.When passing through flooded areas, try to avoid the time when there are vehicles going in the opposite direction. Two vehicles going in opposite directions will create waves or splash water back onto the engine compartment cover, because this can lead to the risk of water entering the air intake and engine, leading to hydro-lock, destroying the engine compartment.
9.When the car enters a flooded road and suddenly dies, absolutely do not restart the engine, because the engine will not be able to restart, and will easily damage the engine (bend the connecting rod, break the engine wall...). At this time, just close the car door and call for help.
10When driving through flooded areas, you should turn off all unnecessary accessories such as air conditioning, sound system, etc. to reduce the load on the engine.