With showers and thunderstorms set to descend on the country later this week, the UK’s top advanced driver has offered some helpful advice to prevent motorists from being caught out by wet weather conditions.
Peter Rodger, Chief Examiner for road safety charity the Institute of Advanced Motorists said: "A suddenly very wet road surface increases the chances of slipping when braking or steering, which is a problem not just for motorists, but for the cyclists and motorcyclists in among them too. When driving in wet conditions remember that stopping distances will increase, and visibility will be reduced. Drop your speed and give yourself more time to slow down.”
Amongst Mr Rodger’s top tips are to set your heater controls before commencing your journey, as rain can mist up your windows in seconds and you should be concentrating on the road rather than fiddling with the controls. To see and be seen, Mr Rodger advises to put your lights on if necessary, and suggests using the rule of thumb that if you have your wipers on you should also turn on dipped headlights. He advises that in wet weather conditions it is best to turn your wipers to their fasting setting prior to overtaking. Keeping your eyes on the road ahead will help you plan your driving and enable smooth braking, accelerating, and steering, and reduce harsh manoeuvring. With this in mind, Mr Rodger advises cruise control is not really suitable for wet roads. Stopping distances are increase by at least double in the wet, so slow down and give yourself more space. This will also avoid spray from the vehicle in front. A firm grip on the steering wheel will help prepare yourself for the effect of strong winds. You should also be mindful of the effect of wind on other road users, for example motorcyclists and flat-sided vehicles like HGV’s and vans.
