Staying Safe and Sound on the Road in Wet Weather

Driving when the weather is wet means there is a higher chance of collisions, so all motorists need to practice extreme caution while on the road.

Heavy rain affects what you see, such as the other vehicles on the road, pedestrians, road signs, potholes and any other possible dangers that have been swept into the road.

When the wet weather hits, always make sure your vehicle is in good condition, be patient and be prepared to take it slow.

Here are the top tips to stay safe and sound on the road in wet weather…

1 – Always turn on your cars headlights when you are driving in wet weather, whether it is raining heavily or not.

2 – Check your windscreen wipers before you start driving – make sure they are in good working order, otherwise replace them.

3 – Turn on the radio or search online for the latest weather reports to see if there are any heavy down pours or flooding.

4 – Avoid fogging up the inside of your car by opening the window slightly or using any anti-fog features in your car.

5 – Make sure the tread on your tyres is sufficient to minimise the risk of aquaplaning. The legal limit in SA is 1 mm, but anything below 3 mm is dangerous.

6 – NEVER speed! Accelerating, turning or braking hard can cause you to lose control of your vehicle.

7 – Adjust your following distance so that you can safely stop behind other vehicles, keep in mind that when the roads are wet you need more distance to stop.

8 – Avoid driving through puddles, flowing water and bridges that are waterlogged.

9 – Areas that are completely flooded should be avoided – do not drive through water unless you are certain that it is below the bottom rim of your wheels.

10 – Heavy rain can cause trees and other objects to fall over into the road, so be on the lookout for dangerous items in the road.

11 – If your visibility is to low and you cannot drive safely, pull over and wait for the rain to slow down before you continue driving again.

12 – Should you experience car troubles, turn your hazard lights on and pull over to the side of the road.

Make sure you are aware of these top tips, so that when the wet weather hits you are well prepared!

Should you ever be stuck in an emergency situation, use your PatrolMan SOS button to summon help to your location immediately! Download the PatrolMan app here...