Top Tips for Driving in the Rain: Essential Advice for Safe Drivers!

Rain is no stranger to UK roads, and with it comes a host of challenges for motorists. From slick surfaces to reduced visibility, wet weather can turn a routine drive into a potential hazard. Whether you’re navigating city streets or winding country lanes, knowing how to adapt your driving in the rain is essential for keeping yourself and others safe, minimising accidents, and ensuring a smoother journey. Here are the top tips every UK driver should know when the heavens open!

1. Prepare Your Vehicle Before Setting Off.

When driving in the rain, prevention is the best form of protection! Before you even start your engine, take a few moments to ensure your car is ready for wet conditions: 

• Check your tyres: Make sure tyre tread depth meets the legal minimum (1.6mm across the central three-quarters), though deeper treads (3mm) are ideal for wet weather grip. Also, check for the correct tyre pressure. 

• Inspect windscreen wipers: Worn or damaged blades won’t clear water effectively. Replace them at least once a year or when they start to streak. 

• Top up screen wash: Rain can mix with road grime and reduce visibility. Use a good-quality screen wash that can cut through grease. 

• Test all lights: Ensure all exterior lights, especially headlights, brake lights, and indicators, are working. They make you more visible to other drivers in gloomy conditions. 

• De-mist windows: Use your air-conditioning or heating system to clear condensation from inside the windows and de-mist your windows before you drive. 

2. Slow Down and Increase Following Distance.

Driving in the rain means roads are slippery, which increases both stopping distances and the risk of skidding. Adjust your driving effectively by: 

• Reduce your speed: Drive more slowly than you would in dry conditions. This gives you extra time to react if something unexpected happens. 

• Double your following distance: The Highway Code recommends allowing at least four seconds between you and the vehicle in front on wet roads (rather than the standard two seconds in dry conditions). 

• Brake gently: Sudden braking is more likely to cause a skid. Instead, brake early and gently to maintain control and reduce your fuel usage. 

3. Beware of Aquaplaning.

Aquaplaning occurs when your tyres lose contact with the road surface and skim over the water instead, leading to a loss of steering and braking control. To avoid and react safely to aquaplaning: 

• Watch for standing water: Slow down before driving through large puddles or flooded areas. 

• Don’t make sudden movements: Maintain a steady course and speed. 

• If aquaplaning occurs: Ease off the accelerator and allow the car to slow down gradually. Just like driving in the snow and ice, don’t brake or turn the steering wheel sharply. 

4. Maximise Visibility.

Rain reduces both your ability to see and your visibility to others. Take these safety precautions for driving in the rain: 

• Use dipped headlights: This helps you see the road and ensures other drivers spot you, even during daylight hours. 

• Clear windscreen and windows: Set your fan or air conditioning to the windscreen setting to prevent misting. 

• Avoid wiping mist with your hand: This can smear your view. Use the proper controls and ensure windows are clean inside and out. 

• Remove distractions: Did you know distracted driving is a illegal offence? Turn down music or podcasts and focus on the road, especially when visibility is poor. 

5. Handle Corners and Junctions with Care.

Rain reduces both your ability to see and your visibility to others. Take these safety precautions for driving in the rain: 

• Take corners slowly: Reduce speed before the bend, not while in it, to prevent skidding. 

• Be cautious at junctions: Give yourself more time to judge gaps in traffic, as vehicles may take longer to stop or accelerate in the wet. 

• Look out for pedestrians and cyclists: Visibility is lower and stopping distances are longer; give vulnerable road users extra space, especially at pedestrian crossings and junctions. 

7. Watch Out for Floods and Deep Water. 

Flooded roads can hide dangers such as deep potholes, debris, or strong currents. Before you drive straight into a rather large puddle, remember: 

• If in doubt, don’t drive through: If you can’t gauge the depth, turn around and find another route. 

• Drive slowly through shallow water: Use first gear and keep the engine revving slightly to prevent water from entering the exhaust. 

• Test your brakes after: Once through water, gently apply the brakes to dry them out before picking up speed again. 

8. Stay Alert to Changing Conditions.

Rainfall intensity can change rapidly, especially in the UK. Patches of heavy rain can reduce visibility to near zero, while lighter drizzle still makes roads slick.

• Adapt constantly: Adjust your speed and driving style as conditions shift. 

• Listen for weather updates: Use your radio or smartphone (hands-free) to keep informed of severe weather or road closures. 

9. Take Car Driving on the Motorway. 

At higher speeds, water spray from other vehicles can dramatically reduce visibility. On major roads: 

• Use your lights: Rear fog lights can be helpful in heavy spray, but remember to turn them off once visibility improves to avoid dazzling drivers behind you. 

• Keep a safe distance: Allow even more space than usual between your vehicle and the one in front, as stopping distances can be significantly increased on wet surfaces. 

• Avoid sudden lane changes: Move carefully and indicate in plenty of time before changing lanes. The road surface may be especially slippery between lanes where water accumulates. 

• Watch for large vehicles: Be especially cautious around lorries and buses, which create heavy spray that can obscure your vision almost completely. 

• Stay in the middle lanes where possible: Water tends to pool in the outside lanes and near the hard shoulder. The middle lanes are often less affected by standing water. 

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