Driving in the rain

It’s important to take special care whilst driving in the rain. There are many reasons for this, including:

• Stopping distances are increased due to wet road surfaces.
• Water on your windscreen makes other vehicles, road signs, pedestrians and the road more difficult to see.
• Puddles can form on the road surface and if you’re not careful, you could be at risk of aquaplaning.

Tips for staying safe during rain storms

• Don’t follow other vehicles, particularly large lorries or buses too closely. The spray created by other vehicles’ tyres makes it more difficult for you to see. The same applies when overtaking – if you must do so, complete your manoeuvre quickly and safely.
• Be especially careful when braking as this can cause aquaplaning. If it is safe and possible to do so take your foot off the accelerator to slow down.
• Consider using your headlights, particularly if the rain is coupled with gloomy, foggy or overcast conditions. As well as helping you to see the road, it makes you more visible to other drivers.
• Don’t drive through puddles if you’re unsure of their depth. You could become stuck or damage your car.
• Never drive through moving water if you can’t see the ground beneath. This could result in you being swept away.
• If you begin a journey in the rain, try to wipe your feet on your car mat before starting to drive – the soles of your shoes could slip off the pedals if they’re wet.
• Take extra care at junctions. Fuel leakage most often occurs here and when mixed in with rain water, is a serious skid danger.
• If you drive through a water hazard, you must check your brakes afterwards. If they’re wet through, they won’t work correctly. Once you’ve driven out of the water, drive very slowly and touch your brakes lightly. This will both test them and help to generate the heat necessary to dry them out. Make sure your brakes are pulling evenly before driving at normal speed again.

What regular checks should you make?

• Make sure you check your wipers regularly. Old and/or brittle wipers won’t clear your windscreen effectively which will seriously affect your visibility.
• All the lights on your car, including fog lights and reverse light.
• Check your tyres. Bald tyres severely reduce your grip on the road; bad news in decent driving conditions, even worse in poor weather.

Find out what essential safety checks you should be making each week to your car.

What if my vehicle starts aquaplaning?

• Don’t brake
• Don’t turn your steering wheel
• Slow down by easing your foot off the accelerator

More information

For more information on driving in different weather conditions including snow, ice, fog, at night and in the rain, check out our Winter Driving page.