Driving tips for wet weather

On behalf of Aiken and Aiken P.C. Personal Injury Attorneys posted in Car Accidents, on Wednesday, April 15, 2015

With the arrival of spring in Massachusetts, drivers can expect plenty of wet weather. Wet road conditions can be hazardous, and in fact, wet weather causes over a million car crashes per year nationwide. However, there are a number of wet weather driving strategies that can help drivers avoid accidents and car damage. One of the most important strategies is to keep a safe distance between one’s own car and others on the road. The usual recommendation is to stay two seconds behind the car in front, but in wet weather that distance should be increased to four seconds. Drivers should watch the car in front pass a stationary object and then count slowly to four before passing the same object. Cars are less able to brake quickly in wet conditions, so the extra distance is necessary to allow for safe stopping and avoiding a rear-end collision. Good tire maintenance is also important to ensure safe driving in wet weather. Tires should be properly inflated and rotated regularly, every 5,000 miles, to maintain even wear. Tires with worn-out treads should be replaced. Another key to driving safety is avoiding potholes, which are caused by freezing and thawing cycles in road pavement. If a pothole cannot be avoided, drivers should try to slow the car before reaching the pothole and then avoid braking while driving over it. Finally, drivers need to avoid panicking in a skid. Continuing to move in the desired direction and not slamming on the brakes can help the car regain stability. Even when following all these strategies, however, no driver is immune from the mistakes of others. If a person is the victim of a car accident caused by another driver, an attorney may be able to help with investigation of the circumstances in order to ascertain who was at fault in the case and ensure fair compensation for injuries. Source: Direct General, “Wet Weather Driving Tips for the Spring,” April 10, 2015