{"id":3521,"date":"2021-07-15T17:59:21","date_gmt":"2021-07-15T07:59:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/?p=3521"},"modified":"2021-07-15T17:59:35","modified_gmt":"2021-07-15T07:59:35","slug":"drive-through-rain-helpful-tips-while-driving-on-rainy-weather-conditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/drive-through-rain-helpful-tips-while-driving-on-rainy-weather-conditions\/","title":{"rendered":"Drive Through Rain: Helpful Tips While Driving On Rainy Weather Conditions"},"content":{"rendered":"

You already know that it can be dangerous and tiring to drive in the rain. But you can follow these <\/span>wet weather driving safety<\/span> tips and ensure you have a safe trip.<\/span><\/h2>\n

Imagine that you\u2019ve been on the road for hours hauling a heavy load. All of a sudden, you drive into a blizzard on a six-lane highway that goes on for miles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Such conditions can wear down even the most experienced truckers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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And to make matters worse, you still have your deadline to worry about.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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That said, to lessen your worry, this article aims to dispense five helpful <\/span>driving in the rain safety tips<\/span>. They are there to help you think faster and endure the weather like a champ.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Five <\/span>Wet Weather Driving Tips<\/span><\/h3>\n

Tip #1 – Stay Alert<\/span><\/h3>\n

Staying alert means keeping your eyes on the road and traffic no matter what. Sure, you already know that, but how do you do it under heavy rain?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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First of all, you want to keep distractions at a minimum. Do not accept phone calls unless absolutely necessary. And you may even want to shut off the music and anything else that could pull your eyes away from the road.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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You shouldn\u2019t be eating or drinking, either. The consequences of one second\u2019s lapse in focus can be dire.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Also, make sure to keep both hands on the steering wheel to get a feel of how your truck behaves under heavy rain. That will help you compensate when the road itself isn\u2019t in the best condition.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Finally, if you\u2019re sleep-deprived, it\u2019s best not to drive at all. Sleep deprivation is the worst enemy of focus even in optimal road conditions. So, make sure you\u2019re well-rested before hitting the road, especially when you know that it might rain.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tip #2 – Beware of Hydroplaning<\/span><\/h3>\n

How does it feel to hydroplane?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The steering wheel will feel light and there could be a bit of lag between your steering and the tyres\u2019 response. This is normal and you shouldn\u2019t panic when you realise that you\u2019re hydroplaning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Reduced traction is expected on wet roads and you only have to reduce your speed to regain control. With that said, you don\u2019t want to lift your foot off the gas pedal abruptly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Reduce speed slowly and focus on how the truck responds. Don\u2019t even touch the brakes as it could make things worse and cause you to lose control.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Keep in mind that there\u2019s more control on the front tyres when the steering wheel becomes heavier. Above all, remember to follow this next tip at all times…\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tip #3 – Keep Your Distance<\/span><\/h3>\n

As a rule, there should be a six-second distance between you and the traffic ahead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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This is the minimum requirement, so you\u2019re free to set a longer distance. You may want to do that based on how heavy the rain is. It may also depend on the traffic and other road conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Always remember that it\u2019s often much easier to compensate for lost time than to deal with a collision.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Lastly, if you\u2019re not sure about the correct distance, you can count the time when a vehicle overtakes you before you start to catch up. Or, wait for a specific time frame before you pass a sign and access a highway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tip #4 – Drive Below the Limit<\/span><\/h3>\n

Driving below the speed limit is one of the most critical <\/span>driving in the rain tips<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Why?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Driving at a lower speed increases the friction between the road and the tyres, essentially making the road less slippery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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You may lose a third of the traction when driving in heavy rain, which greatly increases the risk of skidding and hydroplaning. But if you slow down, there\u2019s more room to stop or manoeuvre your truck out of danger.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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And no, driving below the limit doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that you\u2019ll miss your deadline. You can still get there in time. But if you push your luck, the risk of an accident may increase so much – it\u2019s just not worth the risk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Also, weather conditions could go from bad to worse in no time. You don\u2019t want to wait until it happens to hit the brakes. You want to be ready for that instead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tip #5 – Make Sure Your Headlights Are on at All Times<\/span><\/h3>\n

Torrential rain reduces visibility to the point where it\u2019s hard to make out any vehicles in front of you. Add the slippery road to that and there\u2019s a greater possibility of skidding, particularly when you suddenly brake or switch lanes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Due to that, you should keep the headlights on even when you\u2019re driving during the day. You\u2019ll improve your vision and the visibility of your truck to other drivers. Also, it will be easier to anticipate other drivers\u2019 behaviours based on their signalling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The <\/span>art of driving in the rain<\/span> is to think proactively and develop a sense of anticipation for the traffic movement ahead. But you can\u2019t achieve that unless you see what\u2019s in front of you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Haul Loads Safely<\/span><\/h3>\n

The truth is that it doesn\u2019t matter how experienced or skilful you are. Heavy rain creates a barrier between you and the road and other road users. That\u2019s why it\u2019s absolutely necessary to follow <\/span>driving in the rain safety tips<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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To reiterate, <\/span>safe driving in the rain<\/span> means remaining laser-focused when you\u2019re on the road and always maintaining a safe distance and speed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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This article should have given you enough to reach your destination safely even when it pours. But if you think you could use more tips, or perhaps you\u2019re interested in getting a new truck that\u2019s better equipped for driving in the rain, visit <\/span>Truck Dealers Australia<\/span><\/a> and check out the latest listings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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You already know that it can be dangerous and tiring to drive in the rain. But you can follow these wet weather driving safety tips and ensure you have a safe trip. Imagine that you\u2019ve been on the road for hours hauling a heavy load. All of a sudden, you drive into a blizzard on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3399,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3521"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3521"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3521\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3523,"href":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3521\/revisions\/3523"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3399"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}