socal roads – SLIPPERY WHEN WET

In spite of this week’s heat wave, winter storms are on the horizon.

If Southern Californians ever knew how to drive in the rain, they forget during the six to nine dry months of the year. Autumn is upon us, and with winter rapidly approaching, it’s important to once again  stress the dangers of driving under wet conditions on the roads in Southern California.

With cars slipping and sliding auto accidents occur frequently in the wet weather. Here are some tips to keep you safe.

Slow Down. Be Patient

We all know the dangers of crossing running water. But what about stopping your car when it is sliding in the water?  Hydroplaning is  common on our hilly terrain, we have a full article on how to handle this situation below.

Allow for more travel time. You should plan to drive at a slower pace than normal when the roads are wet. Quite often traffic is moving slower as well. Around LA flooding is quite common as well.   Whatever the case, rushing equals higher risk.

Driving at slower speeds also helps drivers be prepared for sudden stops due to debris, and other hazards associated with wet-weather driving.   Keep your distance/Avoid skids.  A car needs two to three times more stopping distance on wet pavement, so allow extra following distance between cars.

Give a truck or bus extra distance. Their extra-large tires can create enough spray to block your vision completely. Avoid passing one, but if you must pass, do it as quickly as safety allows.

If it’s raining so hard that you can’t see the road or the car in front of you, pull over and wait it out.

Don’t attempt to cross running water. This ain’t an SUV commercial, and you’ll probably get into a heckuva lot of trouble if the force of the water is greater than the weight of your vehicle. All-wheel drive isn’t going to be much help if your vehicle is being pushed sideways. Don’t end up like those folks on the nightly news who had to abandon their cars to Mother Nature.

Make sure you can see. And be seen

Take a close look at your windshield wipers.  We don’t use them much here in SoCAL and wipers will often dry out before they wear out. If the blades are brittle or damaged, replace them before you’re caught in a downpour.

Defog your windows. Rain will quickly cause your windshield to fog up. Switch on both front and rear defrosters and make sure the air conditioning is turned on. Most cars’ climate control systems will automatically engage the A/C when the windshield defrost function is selected.

Turn on your headlights, even when there’s a light sprinkle. It helps you see the road, and more importantly, it helps other motorists see you. However, don’t blast your high beams in the rain or fog — it’ll obscure your view further, as the light will reflect back at you off the water droplets in the air. If your car is equipped with foglights, you may find it helpful to turn these on, as they throw a little extra light on the road while making your car easier to see.

Watch out for pedestrians. An ordinarily observant pedestrian may become distracted by fiddling with an umbrella or a rain slicker. Plus, raindrops deaden sound, so the usual audio clues for measuring car distances become obscured. Keep a sharp lookout for people in the road.

Can your tires hold the road?

Now more than ever it is important to be good tires. Make sure tires are in good condition and are at the recommended inflation level. Driving with bald tires on a slippery surface is a major factor in skidding. Tires should have at least 1/32nd of an inch tread depth at any two adjacent grooves, the minimum allowable by law. Driving on tires that are over inflated or under-inflated is also extremely dangerous on wet pavement.

Check your brakes

Brakes can get wet when driving in wet conditions.  Tap them periodically to make sure they are working as expected. Especially if you are driving through puddles.

Brake earlier and with less force than you would normally. Not only does this increase the stopping distance between you and the car in front of you, it also lets the driver behind you know that you’re slowing down. Also, be more meticulous about using turn signals, so that other drivers know your intentions, and take turns and curves with less speed than you would in dry conditions.

Sudden braking often leads to skids.  Extra distance provides a buffer zone in case of skids.  If the car skids and control is lost, do not slam on the brakes. Instead apply the brakes with a steady, light but firm pressure. Remember to steer in the direction the car is sliding. When traction is regained, steering control will return. For cars equipped with anti-lock brakes, drivers should apply heavy steady pressure, but not pump the brakes.

If you start to hydroplane, don’t brake suddenly or turn the wheel, or you might spin into a skid. Release the gas pedal slowly and steer straight until the car regains traction. If you must brake, tap the brake pedal (unless you have antilock brakes, in which case you can put your foot down).

Use center lanes – avoid puddles

When driving during heavy rain, use center lanes of the road (without straddling the yellow line). Most of America’s roads are crowned in the middle, which means that the water will run off to the sides. If possible, stay toward the middle of the road to avoid deep standing puddles.Avoid outside lanes where water collects at curbside.

Track the car ahead of you. Let the car ahead pave a clear path, so to speak, through the water.

If you see a large puddle up ahead, drive around it or choose a different route. It could be that it’s covering a huge gaping maw into the front door of hell. Well, maybe not, but water splashing up into your car’s engine compartment could damage its internal electrical systems. Also, a pothole may be hiding under the water, just waiting in ambush to damage a wheel or knock your suspension out of alignment. If you can’t gauge the depth, or if it’s covering up the side curb, try to avoid it.

Don’t use cruise control. If you hydroplane, there’s the chance your car could actually accelerate. Cruise control also allows drivers to be less vigilant and to take their foot away from the pedals — not a great idea when reaction time is so important.

Exercise extreme caution after a long dry spell.

During a dry period, engine oil and grease build up on the road over time. When mixed with water from a new rainfall, the road becomes extremely slick. Continued rainfall will eventually wash away the oil, but the first few hours can be the most dangerous.

Be prepared – What you need to review before the rains

Now that you know how to drive in the rain, take some precautionary measures to ensure that your vehicle is prepared to get you through a downpour. Stay on top of your car’s condition. Its brakes, tire pressures, tire tread depth and defroster operation should be checked regularly so that you’ll be ready to deal with a deluge when the time comes.

• Make sure windshield wiper blades are in good condition:Streaks or skipping on the vehicle’s windshield are signs of worn wiper blades. Inspect wipers once a month and check washer solvent reservoir to ensure it’s full. Many crashes occur because motorists can’t see out of smeared windshields.Some wipers are definitely better than others, so ask us if you need a recommendation.
• Keep headlights and taillights working and lenses clean: This vehicle equipment is critical to help you see and be seen by other drivers in normal driving conditions, and more so in foggy and rainy conditions.
• Check brakes: If they’re not working well, it may be time to get them inspected.
• Check tires: Tires should have at least 1/32nd of an inch tread depth at any two adjacent grooves, the minimum allowable by law. Plaza Automotive sells tires for every vehicle

• Every car should have a good emergency kit — and not the $10 jobs you buy at the car wash. Sites like Brookstone and Emergency Preparedness Center offer pre-assembled kits that come in handy carrying cases. The contents of these kits vary, but when driving in rough weather, a tow rope is always a good idea — just in case.

In a perfect world, rainy days would find us hanging out at the local coffeehouse or holed up at home, petting the dog by the fire. Reality being what it is, you probably still have to dredge up enough moxie to go to work instead. Taking a few precautions and using wet-weather driving techniques will keep you from ending up sopping wet on the shoulder of the freeway, waiting for a tow truck. Or worse.

If you are concerned that you car isn’t ready for the winter rains please do not hesitate to contact us. Call 310.831.2888 or schedule an appointment online.