Driving In Rain

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Driving In Rain
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I live in Texas where we have been dealing with a
severe drought for the past several years.
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Fortunately, this past May the entire state
received record rainfall.
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The good news, of course, is that almost all of
the state is now free of drought the bad news
for drivers is that they have to remind
themselves how to drive safely in rain and on wet
roadways.
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So for all of you Texans, and for anyone else who
needs a set of reminders, here are some tips that
will help you to stay safe when you are driving
in rain.
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My Father Gave My A Safety Tip For Driving In Rain
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I was taught by my father when I first learned to
drive to use the 2-second following rule in order
to maintain a safe distance between my vehicle
and the one in front of me.
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When I am driving in rain, I make a point of
increasing my following distance by using the
3-second rule.
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We all know that stopping distances are greater
on wet roads and by increasing my following
distance I am giving myself more space and time
to react and stop safely.
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When it is raining really hard and I am driving
on the freeway, I make it a point to drive in the
same path as the vehicle in front of me.
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That drivers tires have just displaced water in
the track that they have driven and by my driving
in that same track I am able to drive on top of
less water and have more contact with the road
surface.
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During the rains that we had the past May, there
were many cases of drivers who had to be rescued
because they had attempted to drive trough deep
water on top of a roadway.
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The rule of thumb here is to never drive on a
wet roadway if the water on top of the roadway is
so deep that you cannot see the road itself.
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Even a few inches of water that is moving across
a roadway can sweep a car off the road.
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If you have any question about the safety of
crossing a roadway with water on top of it, turn
around and find another path to your destination.
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Use Your Headlights When Driving In Rain
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And finally, remember to turn your headlights on
when driving in rain.
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Having your headlights on will help other
drivers to see you and you to see other drivers.
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When I was a kid playing in the rain was a lot of
fun and safe to do.
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Driving in rain reminds me of those experiences
and I can do so safely by using the strategies
outlined in this article.