Stay Safe While Driving On Wet Roads, Here’s How

You know the old adage, April showers bring May flowers. It’s a nice sentiment, but it really indicates just how wet the month of April can be and we are most certainly already seeing that here in New Haven. With wet conditions not expected to let up anytime soon it is important that you’re still able to hop in your car and get to your destination safely without being too affected by the roads being wet from all the rain this season. Assuming you can navigate wet roads you’ll be able to avoid getting into a New Haven auto accident and keep yourself and your passengers safe all year long.

Of course spring is not the only season of the year where wet roads are a concern, but it is most certainly a season where wet roads can become a major problem. When rain is a consistent forecast each and every day for weeks at a time the roads and the area around the roads can only absorb so much moisture and as the rain continues to come that moisture needs somewhere to go. It is important to understand the environmental impacts that rain water is having on your drive so you can take the necessary steps to drive safely.

Before you even get behind the wheel of your car you should take some time to check in on the weather forecast. As with other seasons of the year, spring weather can change quite rapidly and a pop-up rain shower or storm could significantly impact your ability to get to where you are going safely. Once you know what the forecast is going to be you will be able to mentally and physically prepare for your ride. While weather forecasts can change it is a good idea to have some knowledge of how the weather is expected to behave while you’re on the road.

Once you start out on your drive there are some things you can do that will minimize your chances of being impacted by the wet roads and keep you safe. If you follow these safety procedures you will be much less likely to get into an accident.

1.) Control your speed. Excessive speed is one of the reasons that fender benders turn into full blown accidents where someone can get hurt significantly. This is true when the roads are dry so you can imagine what happens when you mix speed and wet roads. It is important that when you are driving on wet roads that you slow down and maintain a speed that may even be under the speed limit. Keeping your speed down when driving on wet roads is one of the things you can do that will have the largest impact on your safety.

2.) Keep a safe distance between you and the cars in front of you. Wet roads can dramatically impact your ability to stop safely in a short amount of time, so you will need to give yourself more space then you normally would if the roads were dry. The safe thing to do when driving on wet roads is to double and maybe even triple your normal following distance between you and the cars ahead of you so you have plenty of time to stop if the traffic dictates that you do that.

3.) Put your headlights on. You may have seen signs around as you are driving that certain roads encourage you to use your headlights even in the daylight hours. When it is raining out and the roads are wet you will want to do this whether there is signage encouraging you to do this or not. Visibility can be quite low when you’re driving on wet roads and turning your headlights on can significantly increase the visibility of your vehicle when sharing the road with others.

Wet roads can complicate your drive, but if you follow some of these safety tips you will be going a long way in keeping yourself free from a New Haven auto accident. While wet roads do not guarantee an accident, they can certainly exacerbate your chances of getting into an accident and if you’re not careful you could get into an accident that is quite serious and causes you injuries or damage to your personal property.

While accidents may be unavoidable, if you get into one you may need to speak with an attorney who has experience with your type of situation. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.