Driving With Weather

As it turns out, weather is unavoidable. Yep, it just happens every single day whether you want it to or not. The strange thing is, everyone always warns you about driving in winter weather but they seem to ignore that weather exists all year. Even summer has its own weather related driving hazards. Spring and fall come with their own set of annoyances too. Yet, winter gets all the weather-related driving glory. Imagine how boring it must be to only experience two of the four seasons! Yeah, take that California!

We’ve compiled some other driving related weather issues that you probably haven’t thought of since the last time you encountered them. If these are boring, just remember that ‘Winter is Coming’. We will have plenty of winter driving advice for you when the time comes. Stay tuned

Driving while under a blazing sun is just as dangerous as driving at night and the glare levels are actually about the same. It usually takes somewhere from 3 to 5 seconds to recover from the immediate blinding effect of a sudden glare. The best way to avoid that is to protect your eyes.

I bet you never thought anyone would tell you that sunglasses are a safety necessity. You can truly look super cool while also being super safe. Sunglasses should be worn when driving during the day and removed when the sun sets. They won’t help you at night.

Everyone in the DC suburbs knows that when it rains, for some unknown reason, everyone except you completely forgets how to drive. I’m sure studies have been done but no one can explain this phenomenon. Our best guess is that humanity fears water, despite 70% of the human body being composed of it. Maybe it’s just a fear of water that comes from the sky? We are not as rational as we’d like to believe.

Another thing that most people don’t know is that there are two types of windshield wiper blades, summer and winter. The winter ones can get ice and frost off your windshield, while the summer ones are softer rubber and work better to remove the wet stuff. There are also two types of windshield wiper fluid, winter and summer. One does more melting while the other doesn’t. In fact, there are a few things on your car that may have summer and winter versions, such as tires. You should prolly Google that, bro. These are just the little things that help you manage the weather while everyone else is losing their minds.

It’s important to remember that rain is not something you can control. What you can control is how you react to it. You should remember that water is wet and wet things are slippery. The road is slippery when it rains and there’s also the whole new and interesting world of hydroplaning.

Hydroplaning (yikes!)

Hydroplaning Illustration (not a ride at an amusement park)

In heavy rain or water on the road, excessive speed, under inflated tires and low tire tread can cause your vehicle to lose contact with the roadway and lose traction. As speed increases, water between the tires and the road can build until the tires begin to ride on a film of water. This is called hydroplaning. It becomes a big problem, as drivers literally loose control over their vehicles, thus causing many accidents. Its not easy or fun to literally have your car ‘float along a film of water’.

To prevent hydroplaning:
*Slow down when you see water standing on the surface of the pavement.
*Drive in the tracks or wipes left by any vehicle ahead
*Use tires with deep, open treads and make sure you have plenty of air in the tires.
*If you do hydroplane, avoid slamming on the brakes; instead ease your foot off the accelerator to gradually decrease speed until your tires regain traction, and continue to look and steer where you want to go!

DRIVING GLOVES ARE A THING – DO NOT USE A POTHOLDER

WASHINGTON SUBURBS — NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR THE GUY NEXT TO YOU, NOT YOURSELF SO MUCH – CAN HE SEE? IS HE AWARE THAT THE ROAD IS SLIPPERY? ARE YOU? BOREDOM = FIDDLING WITH PHONE, WHICH IS TWICE AS DANGEROUS WITH WEATHER

We get into these topics and many more, in much greater detail, when you you attend Drivers Education (Classroom or Online) and the 8hr Driver Improvement Program (Classroom or Online). Plus many videos that visually illustrate some of these finer points & tips!