Driving in the rain can be challenging. From reduced visibility to worsened grip on the road, there are plenty of pitfalls that can cause problems for even the most experienced drivers.
From driving in heavy wintery showers or a light summer rainfall, discover our top tips for safe driving in wet weather.
1. Slow down
This may seem like an obvious one, but going too fast in the wet is asking for trouble. The big problem with rain on the road is the effect that it has on braking distances and, if it’s really heavy, grip.
The general rule of thumb is that braking distances almost double at higher speeds (e.g. when travelling on a motorway), meaning you’ll stop twice as far down the road than on a dry day. By travelling more slowly, you’ll need less space to brake if the traffic suddenly comes to a stop (which will definitely happen on rainy days, when other sensible drivers decide to reduce their speed and others don’t follow suit).
If you’re driving on roads that have been dry for a while and have suddenly experienced rain, or may have iced over on cold days, lack of grip is the other pitfall to watch out for. Take corners more slowly and don’t accelerate out of them too quickly, or you could end up spinning your car.
If the heavens have truly opened, check out our how to drive through flooded roads guide for tips on navigating roads that are completely underwater.
2. Take care of your tyres
No matter what the weather is doing, Halfords always recommends having the correct amount of tyre tread. Staying as far above the legal limit as possible means your tyres will perform better in the rain, potentially reducing your chances of having an accident, plus you won’t be breaking the law.
If the tyre tread depth is at or below 1.6mm, you’ll need to replace your tyres to stay legal and safe. However, we always advise that you change them before they get to this level. We offer tyre fitting at many of our Halfords Autocentres, which can be booked online.
Or, why not make life easier and let us come to you? Through Halfords Mobile Expert, we can change your tyres at home or at work, and at a time that is convenient for you. You can book your tyre fitting through our Mobile Experts easily online.
If you aren’t sure how to check your tyre tread depth, just head to your local Halfords and we’ll take a look for you as part of our 10-Point Car Check. Or why not join the thousands of customers signing up to the Halfords Motoring Club and get that check for free, along with a whole host of other benefits? More on that below!
You should also check the pressure in all four tyres (and any spares if applicable) at least once a week and top up if needed. Underinflated tyres are a leading cause of grip loss on wet roads and will make controlling your car in the event of skidding or aquaplaning more difficult. The Halfords Rapid Digital Tyre Inflator is a quick and easy way to re-inflate tyres and there’s even a handy torch on the side if you need to inflate them in the dark!
3. Watch out for aquaplaning
If you’re driving on the motorway and it’s raining heavily, then aquaplaning can be an especially dangerous hazard. This is where a layer of water builds between your tyres and the road surface, reducing grip completely and increasing the risk of your car spinning out.
If you feel the steering wheel go soft and your car moves in any other direction but forward, then you may be aquaplaning. The dangerous aspect of aquaplaning is that you can lose control even when driving in a straight line, so take extra care and consider slowing down if there’s a lot of standing water.
What to do if your car starts to aquaplane:
- Don’t brake suddenly as this can make any sliding or spinning worse.
- Reduce any acceleration in a controlled manner.
- Turn the wheel in the other direction to counteract the spin. This should be a last resort, as it may have no effect if your car is aquaplaning fully at high speed.
As previously mentioned, having correctly inflated tyres with the right amount of tread helps greatly with control in wet conditions.
4. Check your wiper blades
If you haven’t changed your wiper blades since you got your car, or you haven’t looked at the rubber for at least a year, give them a check. Wiper blades that are damaged or degraded won’t do as good a job of clearing your screen, which could obscure your vision. The rubber can stiffen in the sun and crack, so checking them in the summer months is just as important – especially with the high likelihood of showers during a British summer!
Wiper blades aren’t too expensive to replace and are pretty easy to fit but, if you don’t fancy doing this yourself, take advantage of our wiper blade fitting service. Just ask in-store or select ‘add fitting’ at the online checkout. You can also get a free in-store fitting of a pair of bulbs, wiper blades or a battery as a Premium member of the Halfords Motoring Club! If you need new blades but aren’t sure which ones fit your car, then start with our wiper blade lookup tool.
Wet roads can soon cause dirt to build up on your windscreen, so we’d also recommend keeping your washer fluid topped up at all times. Our 5L Ready to Use Screenwash will not only wash away road grime but also any rain that’s clinging to your windscreen.
5. Consider a hydrophobic treatment
For a truly innovative way of ensuring a clear windscreen on every journey, it might be worth considering our Duxback glass treatment. With the help of a specially formulated hydrophobic layer applied to your windscreen (or any other glass on your vehicle), water and wet grime won’t stick to the glass. This means that at speeds of over 40mph, water will simply blow off your screen, so you likely won’t need to use your wipers at all!
You can book your Duxback treatment at your nearest Autocentre or our Halfords Mobile Experts can come to you at home or work – the choice is yours!
6. Join the Halfords Motoring Club
For all your wet weather needs, join the Halfords Motoring Club today to access a range of amazing benefits and discounts that are designed to keep you moving, keep you safe and keep you saving in rain or shine.
It’s free to join and you’ll receive money off your MOT, a free car health check and a welcome voucher that can be spent on any Halfords product or service.
Or choose our Premium membership for a small monthly fee (or a one-off payment) to unlock exclusive member pricing on all motoring products and services online and across our stores, garages and Halfords Mobile Experts, as well as a variety of other benefits that will help you to keep moving for less.
With so much to enjoy, this is too good an opportunity to miss!
Join the Halfords Motoring Club today at www.halfords.com/motoring-club.
With these handy tips, you should now be clued up on wet weather driving! Just remember that safer driving in wet weather also includes basic car maintenance, so look after your vehicle and it may end up looking after you.
