5 more safety tips for driving in the rain

Persistent rainfall and low temperatures over last couple of weeks has given Singaporeans a vague taste of winter.

However, the unceasing rain also makes for dangerous conditions on the roads. We've already seen one serious accident recently, and we of course want everyone to be safe out there.

We’ve previously covered some of the more technical pointers about driving in the wet, such as dealing with aquaplaning, and making sure your tyres have plenty of tread left. Here, we give you some simple and cost-effective tips to ensure that you remain as safe as possible while driving in heavy rain.  

1. Make sure your wipers are doing their job

A new set of wipers isn't expensive at all, costing as little as just $10. However, ensuring your wipers are in good condition and doing their job is crucial to ensuring that you are safe on the roads. 

With rain incessantly coming down, making sure you have good visibility is everything. Old wipers may just spread water all over your windscreen instead of wiping the rain droplets away.

2. Brake early, brake lightly

Wet roads mean that your car's braking distance is increased - you want to brake earlier and lightly to gradually shed speed.

Additionally, braking early and lightly also gives the vehicle behind you more time to react. You must also account for the fact that other road users are equally compromised as you are (possibly even more). You don’t want to causing a pile up on the highway, do you?

3. Stick to the middle lanes where possible

Water tends to pool at the side of the road, so staying in the middle lanes allows you to avoid big pools of water that could cause aquaplaning. 

Also, by driving in the middle lanes, if things do accidentally go a little sideways and your car starts to veer off, there's at least still space on either side of you for you to react and get things back under control, ensuring that you're not going straight into a barrier.

4. No sudden lane changes

Considering the roads are damp and cold, traction is already compromised, so avoid sharp steering inputs. 

Sudden lane changes would also be dangerous to other road users. Remember, other cars would take longer to see you and react accordingly. If you need to lane change, signal early and do so gradually. Minimise lane changes where possible, as constantly changing lanes will only further contribute to slow-moving traffic.

5. Give yourself plenty of time

Most importantly, just take your time. Rushing is never ideal, and rushing when it's raining is particularly dangerous. Rushing makes you drive faster, make hastier choices and compromise safety, none of which you want to do, especially when its raining.

For a journey that takes 30 minutes, give yourself 45 minutes. Assume that traffic will be bad and that some idiot has already gotten into an accident. Be patient - better to reach your destination late than not at all. Don't be that idiot. 

In rainy weather, visibility and reaction time is everything. Remember, if your visibility is compromised, so is the visibility of every other driver on the road! It's always safer and more prudent to assume that other drivers on the road are less careful than you are.

Remember, be safe out there!

ALSO READ: Safe driving: 5 dangers to avoid in wet weather

This article was first published in sgCarMart.