How to Stay Safe Driving in Bad Weather

The recent weather has played on my mind a bit recently. The wind, rain, snow and low sun has frequently had me thinking about how best to stay safe in the car. Whilst there are many more experienced and confident drivers out there, my anxiety behind the wheel and desire to keep myself, passengers, fellow road users and pedestrians as safe as possible does drive some positive habits and reflections when it comes to driving. It is always important to stay safe when driving but especially during bad weather. Whilst there are many more experienced and confident drivers out there, my anxiety behind the wheel and desire to keep myself, passengers, fellow road users and pedestrians as safe as possible does drive some positive habits and reflections when it comes to driving. It is always important to stay safe when driving but especially during bad weather.

Light Up

One of the first things taught to motorcyclists when they take their CBT is to always have your lights on. This is because it increases visibility. That light can be the only thing which ensures you’re seen sometimes, even in a bright summer’s day, you’ll be surprised how much of a difference it can make. It can for cars too!
You should absolutely always have your (appropriate) lights on when it is rainy, dark, foggy and so on but consider doing so during the day too, especially if moving between shadow and low sun.

Maintain a Safe Distance from the Vehicle in Front

You might have heard the phrase: “Only a fool breaks the two second rule”, it was a popular slogan once-upon-a-time for discouraging tailgating. The two second rule is the idea that it takes about two seconds to react when braking and that the distance from the car in front should allow for that. Braking in wet weather should allow of double and icy ten times or more.

Here’s the thing, the rules here only reflect reaction time and not actual stopping distance. What’s more, is they don’t factor in other important considerations such as distractions or tiredness which can sometimes be as impactful as drink driving.

Be sensible, be mindful and keep as much distance from the driver as you can – especially in wet and cold weather.

Be Calm, Clear and In Control

Don’t drive erratically, drive at a steady pace and be mindful that reaction times are lessened when the weather is bad. So, avoid sudden braking and unexpected bursts of acceleration whilst indicating clearly taking manoeuvres and lane changes much slower than normal.

Of course, sometimes things happen no matter how careful you are, and if you do find yourself in an unexpected situation, you could always get help, such as by seeking advice from a vehicle accident lawyer in Denver, or an accident lawyer wherever you are based.

Take Extra Care for Hazards

Decreased visibility means increased risk and you’ll rarely find yourself the only one out there. This means you need to be on the lookout for pedestrians, cyclists, other motorists, breakdowns and even possibly horses depending on where you are and how suddenly the weather shifted.

It is important that your attention is as completely on the situation as it can be, and you stay decidedly below the recommended speed limit to best enable your hazard perception.

Take it Slow

The problem with bad weather is that you might encounter a tricky situation and react with a moment’s notice and the faster you are; the slower your reaction time. So, what you have to do is react accordingly. If visibility inadequate or the road slippery, you need to reduce your speed accordingly.

Remember!

If staying off the road altogether is an option during poor weather; this is the best decision of all.