What to do if we are surprised by heavy rain or wind on the road

If we encounter rain, ice, high winds, fog or snow on the road, certain precautions must be taken to ensure the safety of the vehicle and its occupants.

Storms Gérard and Fien will have Spain on alert all week due to the presence of ice, snow, high winds and fog. These are weather conditions that can pose a risk to road safety. For this reason, the most important thing, besides caution behind the wheel, is to remain calm and take extreme precautions to avoid
guarantee safety both the driver and passengers, but also other road users.

That is why ALD Automotive explains what you should do in each of these cases. It is always important to keep a safe distance, but in adverse weather conditions, with wet asphalt, it is essential to increase that distance. The wheels lose grip and the brakes do not react in the same way as on dry asphalt. Special attention should be paid to the ‘aquaplaning’ effect which can cause the vehicle to skid and cause major accidents.

If it is important to respect the safety distance in the rain, the loss of grip is greater in frost, which is why the vehicle can extend the braking distance even more on such a slippery surface. For this reason it is the best
slow down and drive smoothly.

You should also pay special attention to highway fog banks, because in addition to getting the road wet, the loss of visibility they cause can be very great, to the point that you can’t see beyond the hood of the vehicle. Therefore, you should slow down and drive very carefully. Only in this way can a certain safety distance be maintained with the vehicles driving in front of it. Remember that in addition to trying to increase the field of view as far as possible, it is very important that the vehicle is seen by the rest, so the fog lights must be on.

When the wind gusts are very strong it is important to slow down and drive in lower gears so that the engine has more power. The driver should keep a firm grip on the steering wheel and avoid sudden maneuvers that could destabilize the vehicle, especially when overtaking. In addition, objects can fall on the road due to the wind, which can increase the risks.

Even if it starts to snow, it is important to slow down and drive in a higher gear as much as possible. The most dangerous part of snow is the ice that can form after a period of snow and freezing temperatures. That is why it is important to follow the markings of other vehicles and preferably opt for main roads, which are cleared first. Of course, if it snows and the vehicle has chains, they should be placed in a place where there is visibility and always on asphalt or a hard surface.

Source: La Verdad

Ida

I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.