Tips for Driving in Heavy Rain this Spring

April showers may eventually bring May flowers (which bring pilgrims, and so forth), but until that time arrives, spring storms mostly bring headaches to drivers everywhere. Your vision is compromised, your brakes are slower to respond, and your fellow motorists can become more erratic and unpredictable. Needless to say, the chances of an accident increase significantly when driving in heavy rain.

Before you take on any severe spring weather, you’ll want to make sure your vehicle – and your mind – are as prepared as possible. Courtesy of Charles Gabus Ford, here’s how you can keep yourself safe when caught in a spring storm.

Replace Your Windshield Wiper Blades

Your first and primary line of defense against severe rainfall is, of course, your windshield wipers. Unless you’ve already swapped in a fresh pair, your wiper blades are probably exhausted from clearing ice and snow off your windshield all winter. Dull wiper blades can hurt your windshield as much as help it, leaving streaks and smears that can severely compromise your windshield’s visibility.  Therefore, ordering a crisp new set of blades from our online Parts Store should be the first step you take this spring.

Avoid Heavy or Abrupt Braking

Every year, 75% of weather-related accidents occur on wet pavement – and 47% happen during rainfall. Practice more cautious braking technique when driving in storms, as it takes significantly longer to come to a complete stop. Instead of braking abruptly, take your foot off the accelerator earlier than you normally would, allowing your car to glide to a natural stop. Then, apply light pressure to the brake pad to coast to a gentle halt.

Beware of Hydroplaning

Not only does it take longer to come to a complete stop on wet surfaces – hydroplaning becomes a serious threat. Hydroplaning occurs when your tires lose traction, causing your car to drive on the surface of the water rather than the surface of the road – which, in turn, causes you to temporarily lose control of your vehicle. If you start to hydroplane, do these three things sequentially: remain calm, take your foot off the gas pedal, and steer in the direction you want to go. To avoid hydroplaning, be on the lookout for standing water, steering around it rather than confronting it straight-on. And if you’re in need of a fresh set of tires, Charles Gabus Ford is here for all your tire needs.

Maintain Your Distance from Other Cars

During a thunderstorm (but really, all of the time), you should not be aggressively tailing slow drivers. Since we’ve established your car’s brake reaction times are slower in wet conditions, you’re risking a fender-bender situation – or worse – just by being close to other vehicles. Double your normal following distance instead, leaving a wide proximity between yourself and your fellow commuters. This also helps avoid water being splashed onto your windshield by larger vehicles – another viable visibility threat.

Leave Your Headlights On

In Iowa, state law does not dictate that you must have your headlights on while your windshield wipers are in use. Regardless, keeping your lights on during a downpour is both common sense and common courtesy. Not only is the added visibility necessary for your driving purposes, but it also alerts other drivers as to your location in these unclear conditions. There’s literally no downside to leaving your headlights on in the rain, so get in the habit of doing so.

Anticipate the Unexpected

You never know when an April storm is going to hit. If the sky looks ominous and you haven’t hit the road yet, try to delay your departure until it clears up. Inevitably, though, there will be times when you’re on Route 69 towards Ames, the sky takes a turn for the worse, and the next exit isn’t for miles. (In this situation, don’t hesitate to pull over on the side of the road and wait for the worst to pass.)

The best you can do is keep your car prepared for a downpour at all times. That’s where the expert technicians at our Service Center enter the picture. Schedule your service appointment with Charles Gabus Ford today and let us tend to your brakes, battery, oil change, wiper blades, and more. And while you’re here, check out our expansive inventory of new and used Ford cars and trucks. From the exploratory Ford Ranger to the electrifying Mustang Mach-E, we’re sure to have the perfect companion for all the sunny drives ahead, just waiting for the clouds to part.