Dtown Insurance Safety Tips for Driving in the Rain
The old saying goes, "April Showers bring May Flowers," but rain also brings an increased risk of car crashes. In fact, according to the Department of Transportation, over 20% of car collisions are due to poor weather. Our insurance agents have some common car insurance agency safety tips to keep in mind when the rain comes pouring down.
7 Safety Tips for Rainy Weather
At Dtown Insurance, we care about our customer and neighbors’ safety. Below are 7 tips for driving safely in the rain.
1. Slow Down
Wet roads impair the traction on tires, thus making control of vehicles more difficult and important. To lessen your chances of losing control and to keep as much traction as possible, slow down! Of course, you should always be going the speed limit, but this is especially important during inclement weather. Reducing your speed to the posted speed limit or a little below helps you stay in control of your car.
2. Turn on Your Lights
Rain and foggy weather impair vision, so you should be sure to turn your car's lights on when the first drizzle begins. You also want to make sure that other drivers can see you.
Another reason to turn on your headlights is that Pennsylvania state law requires that headlights must also be on anytime windshield wipers are turned on.
3. Keep Your Hands on the Steering Wheel
While your hands should always be on the steering wheel, this advice is most important during bad weather. Once the rain begins, put down anything you are holding (like food or your phone), and hold the steering wheel at positions 9 and 3, like a clock. Keeping both hands on the steering wheel will optimize your control of the vehicle and allow you to drive as safely as possible. Also, removing any distractions makes focusing on the road a lot easier. Do not text while driving, and make sure your phone is connected via handsfree Bluetooth.
4. Increase Following Distance
Make sure you leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front of you. Reduced visibility, wet roads, and wet brakes can make coming to a timely stop tricky. The recommended amount of room is at least 5 cars worth of distance. With ample space between you and other cars, you can ensure more safety.
5. Use Your Defogger
The rain already makes seeing everything around you difficult, and fog is another issue compounding poor visibility. If you find your windshield fogging up, turn the defogger on immediately. Both the front and rear windows usually have defoggers, so make sure to use both to see as clearly as possible in front and behind you.
6. Turn off Cruise Control
Using cruise control during rainy weather increases your chances of hydroplaning. Once rain starts, make sure you are out of the cruise control setting. If you find yourself hydroplaning, avoid braking or abruptly turning the wheel. Instead, you should take your foot slowly off the gas and keep your car heading in a straight line. While hydroplaning is scary, try to remain calm and follow this advice.
7. Avoid Standing Water on the Road
Driving through standing water could cause you to hydroplane and lose control. You will also impair your vision and the visibility of other drivers. Additionally, standing water could be hiding a pothole or other debris, and hitting any of these could cause damage to your car and put you in danger.
Contact Dtown Insurance for Your Auto Insurance Needs
In addition to these guidelines, a general rule of advice for any time you get in your car is to make sure your registration and insurance are up to date. Any drive, regardless of weather, could result in a collision, so making sure you have the necessary documents and coverage to protect yourself is crucial. Investing in car insurance and following these car insurance agency safety tips are steps you can take to better guarantee protection for yourself and your family.
Dtown Insurance agents have many years of experience in auto insurance. Our agents prioritize getting you the right coverage for the best price available. Some of the insurance carriers we work with include CSAA, Farmers, Foremost, Grange, Plymouth Rock, Progressive, STATE Auto and Travelers.
Contact us today to learn how we can help you.
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