It’s all about adjusting your driving slightly…

Cape Town is desperate for rain, in fact, we can’t remember the last time we had any! The good news is that we’re expecting a few showers over the next few days, and with that comes a friendly reminder to our WOW readers to remember to drive safely in wet conditions. This of course goes for anywhere in the country that might be experiencing downpours. Here are some simple things to remember.

• Before the worst of the rain starts, do an inspection of your vehicle and check tyres, lights and wiper blades to ensure that you are set for the season
• Drive with your headlights on to increase visibility
• Wet road surfaces can cause tyres to hydroplane (skim on a thin layer of water). Keep a large distance between you and the vehicle in front of you as it will take your car a little bit longer to come to a complete stop
• Be more alert as pedestrians and animals will be rushing to get out of the cold and wet weather and could run across roads without much hesitation
• Keep your phone charged – the chances of being involved in an accident increases when visibility is poor due to bad weather. You may need to contact someone in case of an emergency
• Remember that driving behind large trucks means you get a lot of spray from the wheels. Keep a large distance between yourself and a truck and make sure that you can see their mirrors. If not, they can’t see you
• This seems obvious, but slow down. You have more control of your car this way. Also, when it comes to corners, take it slowly.
• When the rain first starts, it loosens up the dirt and grime on the road. Be extra cautious as it makes the road slippery

Just be extra careful out there!