Notes when driving in thunderstorms and lightning
In the summer, the northern provinces will continuously experience heavy rains with thunder and lightning, which is dangerous for traffic participants. When encountering this situation, motorcyclists should not leave the house because they can be "struck" by lightning. For car drivers, driving in thunderstorms will also be hindered and they should note the following to make a safe trip.
Ensure vehicles are always running efficiently
When driving in stormy weather, drivers need to check the vehicle's operating condition before leaving the house to ensure it is running smoothly. Therefore, details that need special attention include brakes, tires, lights, oil and gas levels to avoid sudden breakdowns and being unable to continue driving in the rain. Remember that when it rains heavily, it will take a long time to call for help.
Absolutely do not use convertibles or convertibles outside the house in this weather because these vehicles cannot ensure passenger safety in harsh conditions.
Regular vehicle maintenance
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Most cars are built to withstand heavy rain, but they can only do so if all parts of the car are working properly. Therefore, owners should take their cars for maintenance at the scheduled time recommended by the manufacturer to ensure the durability and performance of the car.
Prepare your trip information carefully
It is advisable to identify the shortest routes that are less prone to flooding to reach your destination safely and save time. It is best to have a paper map for navigation as drivers may not be able to use navigation technology devices if thunderstorms are too heavy, causing disruptions.
Turn on the headlights and wipers
Heavy rain will certainly reduce the visibility of car drivers. Therefore, drivers should turn on headlights and wipers to clearly observe surrounding vehicles, always in control of the situation on the road.
Look carefully and slow down to follow the vehicle in front.
When moving through a deep flooded road, the car in front will part the water, thereby helping the driver to observe the road surface more easily. So we can follow the car in front but need to pay attention to the safe distance.
In addition, heavy rain can reduce the ability to concentrate on driving as well as make the road surface more slippery. To minimize the risk of accidents, drivers should move at a slow speed to help control the speed, the body of the car, and not lose control when encountering unexpected situations.
Fasten your seat belt throughout the journey
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Drivers and passengers should wear seat belts, even in thunderstorms. This will help avoid risks such as being thrown from the car if the car crashes or brakes suddenly.
Continuously updated weather information
When traveling in heavy rain, we need to listen to weather information from the radio available in the car or online via smartphone to monitor the weather situation in the area we are traveling to and which routes are congested or flooded.
Do not touch electrostatic surfaces
Metal surfaces inside the interior can cause passengers to be shocked when touched during thunderstorms. Therefore, if the thunder is too strong, the driver should temporarily park the car in a suitable location and wait for the weather to improve before continuing to move to ensure safety.
Turn back or stop if the road ahead is flooded.
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When going through deep flooded areas, cars can experience water hammer, water entering the engine compartment causing serious damage, costing tens or even hundreds of millions of dong in repairs. In particular, when the road is flooded and the water flows rapidly, if you continue to cross it, both the car and passengers can be swept away. Therefore, when it rains heavily, only drive on safe roads, do not rush and get into danger.