The easiest way to stay safe in extreme weather is to stay home, but that isn’t always possible. You might be caught in a storm while you are at work or school. Or you could be on a long-distance road trip. Although driving in storms can be a stressful experience, you can use these strategies to stay safe and calm until you reach your destination.
Start By Planning Your Route
In extreme weather, your normal route might not be accessible. Known flood zones may have road blockages. You could also encounter major freeway lane shutdowns due to accidents. If you have time before you head out, then check out your route beforehand. Identifying alternate pathways or potential places to stop for shelter gives you more options for avoiding risks on the road.
Check Your Car’s Safety Features
Before storm season begins, it’s worth doing a basic vehicle inspection to identify any safety features that need repair or replacement. Changing out the windshield wipers can help you maintain better visibility during substantial rainfall or snow.
Your car’s tires also need the proper amount of tread and air to generate good traction. If your car is due for a brake inspection, then it’s best to do that now. Once all of the safety features are in working order, you’ll just need to do a quick check before you drive in a storm.
Make sure your headlights and brake lights are in good working order. Many states, including Florida, require you to run your headlights during the day when rain, smoke, or fog are present. This provides better visibility of your vehicle to other drivers and can help prevent accidents.
Reduce Your Driving Speed
Resisting the urge to rush through the storm is important for your safety. Once you lose visibility, you may need more time to react to sudden hazards in your path. Wet or snow-covered roads can also interfere with traction.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recommends slowing your driving speed down by as much as one-third on wet roads. Naturally, you’ll want to stay predictable and keep with the flow of traffic. But, reducing your speed as much as you safely can allows you to have more time to react and maintain control over your vehicle.
Give Other Vehicles Extra Room
The time it takes to stop your vehicle increases on slick roads. You may also need to react quickly if someone in front of you slams on their brakes. Ideally, you should leave a couple of extra seconds of following time between you and the other car in front of you. This way, you’ll be less likely to hit someone from behind.
Opt Out of Driving on Flooded Roads
Driving in a storm is stressful, but you should never let a desire to get home override your sense of safety. If you see barricades blocking a flooded road, then it’s best to turn around rather than attempting to bypass them. The same is true of seeing water blocking your path, especially if you’re unsure of the depth.
According to The Weather Channel, it only takes 12 inches of moving water to lift and carry most vehicles. Taking longer to get to your destination is worth the extra time and effort when it means you make it there alive.
Prepare for Handling an Accident
Being prepared for the unexpected is the key to successfully driving in extreme weather conditions. If you follow all of the other steps, you reduce your risk of needing to handle an accident. But walking through the steps beforehand helps you quickly address collisions and personal injuries in bad weather conditions.
Make sure to keep your auto insurance information available and remember to reach out to an attorney as soon as you can after an incident occurs. Gathering information at the scene can also help you prove who was at fault for the accident if you need to file a claim.
Extreme weather can hit in an instant, but you normally have some time to prepare. Knowing what to do to stay safe helps protect you and your passengers from harm. Now, all you need to do is start putting together your emergency roadside kit and remember to adjust your driving style when the next round of inclement weather arrives.
