Drive Safe This Rainy Season With These Simple Precautions
22 May 2025 4:15 PM IST22 May 2025 4:15 PM IST
Right knowledge and proper precautions can help you drive through any weather safely.
Picture courtesy : DC
Monsoon is here. While the rains bring relief and beauty, they also make the road slippery and unpredictable. Driving through floodwater and heavy rain can be stressful. Water logging, drains packed with wastes and potholes on road are the common problems drivers face during every rainy season. Reduced visibility and unpredictable weather can make things worse. However, right knowledge and proper precautions can help you drive through any weather safely.
Avoid driving through flooded areas
In general, avoid driving through flooded water whenever possible. Try to find alternative routes. Follow the instructions given by other road users like car or bike drivers and pedestrians to understand how deep the water is before attempting to wade through.
Don’t panic if you get stuck
It would be difficult to open the door if the car is stuck in water as the force exerted by the standing water on the door is very high. In such a situation it is important to keep calm and not panic. Then attempt to open the door by pushing it with both the legs or using any heavy object. If that doesn’t work, break open one of the windows.
Keep moving
Keep moving through the water in a steady pace. Do not accelerate suddenly or break too hard. If you stop in standing water, there is a chance that water might enter into vital parts of the vehicle. Use a lower gear. Driving through water puts additional strain on the engine and using the third gear, instead of the first, could lead to the car stalling.
Do not restart the engine immediately
If the vehicle is stuck in water logged area, don’t restart the engine immediately. If the water has entered the engine, it could cause serious engine damage. Once you realize, water has entered the engine, switch off the car to avoid any further damage. Also, water might put pressure on the engine’s connecting rods and it could lead to them breaking.
Turn on the headlights
Turn the headlights on when the visibility is reduced. It helps the drivers to see better and also makes their vehicles more visible to others, reducing the risk of accidents.
Maintain twice as much space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
Leave twice as much space between you and the vehicle in front because it takes longer to stop in the wet. The water on the road reduces friction between the tires and the road surface, making it harder for the vehicle to slow down and stop.
The article is authored by Suchitra DK, an intern from Kannur University, Kerala
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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