Safe Driving in the Rainy Season

Written by Mabuyane Mabuza

The season of life is upon us. Those of us that have been lucky enough to call this southern tip of Africa our home, know how beautiful our weather is. This time of the year one can’t help but get excited, there is something in the atmosphere. Some of us hibernate in winter and start getting excited about life in September. All plants start to show signs of life, flowers start to bloom, trees look green, and the bird life reappears in all sorts of colours. But as they say not all things get rosy this season, it also means road accidents would be on the increase. There are many factors that contribute to this unfortunate situation, according to the Department of Transport. Some of those factors that the department highlight every year are behavoural issues on the part of motorists and pedestrian alike which includes drunk driving, drunk walking, and a general lack of observing the rules of the road.

Against this background, I’d like to delve into rainy season preparedness for both car and driver.

As we enter the rainy season, how ready is your car and how ready are you?

The first rains for the season often pose a challenge to motorists. The road surfaces change from dry to wet and often times motorists continue driving as though nothing has changed. Well, a lot has changed and so should your driving style. The roads are usually more hazardous this time of the year than any other time due to oil and grease collected during the dry season. This makes the roads more slippery than they are in the middle of the rainy season.

What can you do to mitigate and reduce the risk of accidents this time of the year?

According to MasterDrive, the best way to safeguard yourself and your vehicle is to adjust your driving style to suit the conditions of the roads.

Here are a few things you should do:

Have your vehicle checked ie tyres, brakes, wiper blades

These are the most important things to do as a motorist on wet roads:

Reduce following distance
Reduce your speed and keep to a slower lane but this does not mean you should drive slower than necessary.
Do not brake harshly
Keep your headlights on
Avoid water that has pooled on the road. If you can’t avoid it, approach slower.
Do not drive through fast-moving water or low-laying bridges.
There is one unwritten rule in everything including driving, that’s the rule of common sense. When it feels uncomfortable then it means you are out of your depth, don’t push through.