Driving in the rain: how to stay safe on wet roads

Rain changes everything about how a car behaves. Stopping distances grow, visibility drops and the road can be at its most slippery in the first minutes of a shower, when water mixes with oil and dust on the surface. Here is how to stay in control.

Before you set off

• Check your wipers. Smearing or streaking blades should be replaced.
• Check your tyres. Tread depth is what clears water from under the tyre. Worn tyres lose grip quickly in the wet.
• Clear every window and turn on your demister before you move.
• Turn on your headlights so others can see you, even in the daytime.

Double your gap

On wet roads, stopping distances can be at least double those on dry roads. A two-second gap becomes four. This is the single most important change you can make, and it also means fewer hard-braking events in your Road Rank breakdown.

Be gentle with every input

Tyres have less grip in the wet, so every action should be smoother:

• Brake earlier and more gently.
• Accelerate gradually, especially from junctions.
• Steer smoothly and slow down before bends, not in them.

Aquaplaning

Aquaplaning happens when a layer of water builds up between the tyres and the road. The steering suddenly feels light, and the engine may rev without the car speeding up.

If it happens:

1. Ease off the accelerator. Do not brake hard.
2. Hold the steering straight.
3. Wait for the tyres to grip again, then brake gently if needed.

Avoid standing water where you can, and slow down when you see it.

Flooded roads

Do not drive into flood water if you do not know how deep it is. Even shallow, fast-moving water can push a car, and water in the engine can cause serious damage. Find another route.

Visibility

Spray from trucks and buses can hide the road for several seconds. Drop back from large vehicles. Use your fog lights only when visibility is seriously reduced, and turn them off when it improves so you do not dazzle others.

Expect a lower score, and that is fine

Rain tends to bring more braking and slower traffic. If one wet commute scores lower than usual, look at your trend over a week or a month rather than one drive. Your rank in Road Rank is based on a 30-day average, so one bad-weather drive has a limited effect.