It doesn’t matter how much preparation or theory revision you do when learning to drive, there are a few scenarios for which no amount of practice-setting rehearsal will help you with.
One such scenario is the weather.
What is happening in the environment outside of your vehicle makes a big difference as to how you should drive it, none more so than the weather.
Strong winds or heavy rain can make driving very difficult and safety professionals know that the risk of you being involved in a potentially dangerous situation increases significantly when severe weather hits.
Knowing how you should handle particular weather conditions is useful and things such as safe stopping distances in wet or icy conditions can all help prepare you for when you do encounter particularly bad weather.
At some point, you will encounter it – everybody does.
For inexperienced drivers, it can be quite scary.
Heavy rain or gale-force winds can really make even the simplest of drives much more challenging, so you need to know how to handle the car and what steps to take when you’re in this situation.
To help get you prepared for driving in adverse or extreme weather, we’ve put together this in-depth guide.
We’ve tried to provide as much information as possible so that you can head out with some confidence that when the bad weather hits, you’ll be confident in dealing with it.
When the weather turns nasty and you’re driving, then you need to ensure your absolute full attention and concentration is on the road and the environment around you.
There are some steps you can take to help ensure you are driving distraction-free and are left to handle what mother nature throws at you.
The following list will help you to keep focused and avoid any distractions:
How To Drive In Heavy Winds:
Wind may seem like the least of your troubles when the weather takes a turn for the worse but it is wise to give it your utmost consideration.
Strong winds can whip up suddenly and are more common in wide open areas.
Particular areas to be wary of are motorway bridges, tunnels and mountain passes which can funnel the wind and increase its power.
The following tips will help you if you find yourself confronted with high winds when driving:
How To Drive In Heavy Rain:
Vehicle Condition:
It sounds simple, but staying on top of things such as the condition of your tyres will not only keep your car legal but it will also help handling in poor weather.
Always Look Ahead:
When driving conditions become hazardous, people are often quick to focus on what’s happening around them.
The best thing you can do is keep focussing on what’s ahead.
Keep a safe stopping distance from the vehicle in front, keep your car in-line despite heavy winds, etc.
Many fatal accidents occur on our roads every year due to bad weather conditions.
The main cause seems to be related to drivers not changing their normal driving behaviour to take account of the changes in the weather.
Concentration and speed are the number one contributor to such accidents and it is therefore imperative that drivers remove as many distractions as possible and check their speed.
Heavy winds and rain can kill.
Read up on how to deal with these weather types and ensure that both you and your vehicle are prepared.
Read our other guides relating to motorway driving, safe stopping distances and driving in heavy traffic, all of which carry sound advice which can be applied to driving in bad weather.