As driving conditions
vary widely between dry and wet, here are some tips to drive safely:
Reduce
speed. It takes far longer to slow down in the wet.
As most
of our roads are crowned towards the centre, water accumulates in the
outer lanes. As far as possible, stick to the middle lane.
Maintain
three times the distance you usually would from other vehicles.
Driving
in the tracks of a car ahead of you is advisable as chances are your
tyres will need to disperse less water as the car in front will have
created a relative dry path.
Do not
follow large buses or trucks too closely. The spray from the wheels
will block vision.
Avoid
excessive use of brakes.
Turn on
your headlights in dark, gloomy conditions so that you are seen by others
on the road.
Allow
for more travel time between destinations.
You should
be more alert for stop signals, especially at junctions.
Never
drive beyond the limits of visibility. At night, wet roads turn dangerous.
Glare of oncoming lights, amplified by rain on your windscreen and reflected
off the wet road, can cause temporary loss of visibility.
Never
drive through moving water if you cannot see the ground through it.
The force of the water may be more than the weight of your car.
When driving
through a flood, go slowly. If it is deeper than the bottom of your
doors, turn around.
Dry your
feet before entering the car. Wet feet can slip off pedals, which is
very dangerous.
Keep windscreen
washer fluid topped up and on a long journey carry some extra in the
boot too.
MONSOON CHECK
Before
you turn that ignition key and head out for that rainy ride, remember
to check for:
WIPERS
Smooth functioning, condition of arms. If cracks appear on the blade,
replace or the streak on the windshield will strain your vision.
TYRES
Minimum 2mm depth including your spare. Check pressure of all five tyres.
LIGHTS
Check for high, low and specially brake lamps.
ELECTRICS
Check that no malfunction lights have come on.
WINDOWS
All windows should shut perfectly without gaps, otherwise the monsoon
will be in your car.
BRAKES
See if the handbrake works properly. Be alert for excessive pedal travel.
CORROSION
A common myth going is that you should waith for the monsoon to play havoc
with your paint and then deal with it. No, get an anti-corrosion and paint
job done beforehand - they'll weather the season well. Remember, waiting
for the monsoon to end is like opening an umbrella after a shower.
July 2001
