Driving in the Rain
Rain, rain go away! Sgt. Eaton is back with tips on navigating the roads in these rainy conditions!
“Hello friends and welcome to a wet and wild edition of #TrafficTipTuesday. Unless you are a duck, you may not be excited about the weather forecast this week. I thought that this would be a good opportunity to go over some tips for safe driving when the weather isn’t cooperating. Let’s get to it.
One of the easiest things you can do to be safe in bad weather is to use your headlights! Rain reduces visibility, making it difficult for other drivers to see you. Using your headlight allows you to see a little further ahead prevent crashes, not to mention the fact that headlights are required by law when driving in “unfavorable visibility conditions”, meaning you can receive a citation for not using them when necessary.
Another important tip for driving in the rain is leave extra space for the vehicles around you. Wet roads make it much more difficult to stop suddenly if an emergency arises. This is especially important when driving around large trucks and buses. The bigger the vehicle, the more time they need to stop. Wet surface conditions only make this worse.
Finally, when driving in the rain, SLOW DOWN. Hydroplaning (which is when a vehicle’s tires skim across the surface of the water) can begin at speeds as low as 35 miles per hour. This means you lose control of steering and braking while your car slips and slides down the roadway and you won’t be able to avoid potentially hitting a duck who is out enjoying all this rain.
As always, if you have a question or concern, please leave it in the comments below. Also, if you have a specific concern with unsafe driving in your area, such as speeding, drag racing, etc., give us a call, send an email, or reach out on social media.
Until next week, slow down, pay attention, wear your seatbelt, and drive safely.
HCSO Main Line – 410.838.6600
Northern Precinct – 410.692.7880
Southern Precinct – 410.612.1717
HCSO Traffic Unit – 443.409.3324
traffictiptuesday@harfordsheriff.org
@hcsotrafficsgt on Instagram