Wet Weather Increases Risks of Personal Injury

In the Treasure Valley, the fall and winter months bring beautiful orange and red leaves and a host of fun winter activities like skiing or tubing at Bogus Basin. However, this time of year brings increased risks for wet and rainy road conditions, especially on busy roads such as Eagle Road. With that increased risk, it’s important to make sure you’re being as safe as possible during your commute. Here are some tips you’ll want to follow next time you’re caught in the rain.

 

Avoid Cruise Control

If you’ve ever driven somewhere more than about an hour away, you’ll understand how useful cruise control can be. Although cruise control is a blessing on a long drive, during wet conditions, using cruise control can be dangerous. When the roads are wet, there is a possibility of hydroplaning, or skimming across a thin layer of water on the road. The best thing to do when you hydroplane is to let off of the gas, but if cruise control is engaged, your car won’t do that. Make sure to always manually control the throttle during wet conditions.

 

Change Your Wiper Blades

According to Rain X, wiper blades should be replaced every six months to a year, or as soon as you notice a difference in driving visibility. If your wipers are streaking, skipping or squeaking, it might be time to replace them. If you aren’t able to properly see out of your windshield, you greatly increase the risk of hitting another car. The entire idea with replacing the wipers is increased visibility.

 

Check Your Tire Tread

Not only do higher speeds increase the chances of hydroplaning during wet weather, but bald tires do as well. The grooves in tires are designed to grip the road better and to guide the water away from the surface of the tires. Test your tread depth by putting a penny headfirst into the tread groove. If you can see Lincoln’s entire head, it’s time for some new tires. If part or all of his head is covered, your tires are still good to go.

 

Turn Your Lights On

Quite a large number of cars these days have headlights that automatically turn on when the ambient light becomes dim enough. If you don’t have automatic headlights, make sure that if it starts raining, that you turn your lights on. This probably won’t help you see other cars any better, but rather it will help other cars see you much better. Making sure you’re visible will help prevent other distracted drivers from crashing into you during those rainy conditions.

 

Overall, it takes a lot of attention to the road to drive safely in the rain. No matter what, make sure that you are taking care of your car so that you can increase your safety on the road. If you have experienced a car accident, give us a call and we will make sure that you are taken care of.