Wet weather brings out the idiot driver

Wet conditions require a whole different set of driving rules. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The rain has finally arrived over most of the country and yet again it appears most drivers haven't a clue.

If it's tipping down with rain, a cunning plan would be to slow down, pull back from the bumper in front - in fact, give everyone a lot more room.

Driving in the rain is different from driving in the dry and requires a completely different set of skills. Many drivers appear to be ignorant of the fact that it'll take a vehicle up to more than twice the distance to pull up.

In heavy rain on a motorway where the spray cuts visibility in half, you'll be lucky to see the distance you need to stop.

On Friday, I watched some of the most bizarre driving on the Northern Motorway. I'm not deliberately being Auckland-centric as I'm sure the rest of the country is the same, but there are some people out there on our roads with a death wish.

I have no problem with idiots trying to kill themselves as long as they don't take the innocent with them. How hard is it to work out, one would ask, that if you can't see much in front of you - slow down?

I must have been passed on Friday in the pouring rain by dozens of drivers doing well over the speed limit who would not have had a chance to avoid hitting another car if so much as a tail brake light came on.

I can also guarantee that 90 per cent of those drivers howling up the motorway would not have checked their tyres in the past two months. The only things keeping the car on the road would probably have been under- inflated or nearly worn out.

Another thing to watch is aquaplaning, where the tyres lose contact with the road. This doesn't happen because there's water on the road - it happens because the car is going too fast.

So, in an effort to help those who haven't yet worked out that driving conditions are very different in the wet, Superwheels has put together this helpful guide to remind drivers to take care when it rains.

TYRES

People tend to forget that the tyres, and only the tyres, are the things that keep the car on the road. Not the leather interior, the big fat V8 under the bonnet, the stereo or the mag wheels.

If the tyres are worn and the tread depth is below 2mm, they lose their ability to pump water away from the road surface and will aquaplane, resulting in a complete loss of steering. Check tyres for wear and pressure to ensure maximum grip.

DRIVER VISIBILITY

If you can't see where you're going, you're bound to hit something. Modern technology has brought with it more efficient windshield wipers and better de-misters.

The wiper blades have to be good enough to remove water without streaking. Remember to put screen wash in the washer tank to remove road grime build-up.

Clean your windscreen after a car wash as the wax causes the water to bubble up and smear. Clean the inside of the screen to remove any film that may cause bad reflections or distortions as you drive. Cleaning the inside of the windshield is particularly critical.

CAR VISIBILITY

If you can see the other car but he can't see you, you're still in a lot of trouble.

One of the most important factors in safe wet-weather driving is being seen by other drivers, so turn on your low-beam headlights when it rains, even during the daytime.

In a really heavy downpour, when you've either pulled over or are doing less than 20km/h, it might be an idea to put the hazard lights on.

Land Transport New Zealand, however, states that hazard lights should only be used to indicate a temporary hazard to traffic or your vehicle has broken down and you're awaiting assistance.

DRIVING

Look around you when driving and take note of the conditions and what other drivers are doing. Just because some fool is still doing 120km/h in the rain doesn't mean you have to.

Give yourself more room from the car in front so you can stop and stay out of the mist and rain it throws up.

At night, use your low-beam headlights to avoid excessive glare from the raindrops. Remember, high beams do not help visibility in the rain.

Even new tyres can aquaplane in the wet so watch your speed. If the steering begins to feel light as you go through a deep puddle, gently reduce speed to regain control. Don't panic by doing something abrupt that will upset the balance of the car. Never drive through deep water as it's impossible to tell how deep it is from inside the car. If you do manage to get through, test the brakes before going too fast.

Don't forget the windscreen wipers have two speeds so use the higher speed in heavy rain. Be prepared to lose visibility momentarily when passing a truck or encountering one coming the other way.

Light rain after a long dry spell will bring oil and dust to the surface of the road, making it a skating rink - so slow down until you can gauge the grip level.

BE SAFE

The biggest factor with safe wet-weather driving is you and your judgment. When visibility drops and roads flood, only you can tell when it's time to pull over and take a break. It's better to take longer to get to where you're going than not to turn up at all.