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Around a quarter of a million road accidents are reported
every year in the UK. Over 1/3rd of these accidents
take place in wet weather conditions.
The reasons for this are fairly obvious;
- road surface quality and tyre adhesion is worse
in the wet
- Generally visibility is worse in the wet
- Breaks are less effective in the wet
In addition, car reliability is less in the wet as
rain can cause problems with electronic control units
of almost all petrol engines, engine management systems,
coils and other under bonnet electronic equipment..
However, the there are a number of steps you can take
to reduce the risk of an accident in the wet.
- Slow down – beware or your driving speed
and how long it will take to stop your vehicle.
- Plan what to do if you find yourself skidding or
aquaplaning – your tyres loses contact with
the road, and is simply sliding forwards on a thin
layer of water. if this happens you should ease off
the accelerator, avoid braking or changing direction.
If you are aquaplaning you will have little or no
control of braking or steering
- Keep your speed down for safety and avoid water
splashing under your bonnet.
- Check the condition of your wiper-blades. - Look
for splits and damaged rubber.
- Use dipped headlights in poor visibility.
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