Driving in heavy rain and floods
After the difficulties of driving through ice and snow Britain’s beleaguered motorists now have to cope with the treacherous conditions caused by flooding and torrential rain.
With extremes of weather predicted to become more frequent in the UK car accessories experts Halfords have put together a guide for motorists to help them cope with standing water, floods and heavy rain on the roads.
It is important to see and be seen when driving in hazardous conditions caused by very wet weather and possible debris on the road. Turning on low-beam headlights in heavy rain and regularly checking your wiper blades to ensure they work efficiently and are not old or cracked are just two of the most basic things drivers can do to help themselves, as well as ensuring that the windscreen is clean to avoid bad reflections and distorted vision.
Halfords are the UK’s largest supplier of wiper blades, with the job of fitting replacement rubber wiper blades one of the top requests from the company’s popular We Fit service. The We Fit specialists completed almost 450,000 wiper blades jobs in the past year.
Tyre tread is also critical in wet weather. The legal limit is 1.6 millimetres but experts recommend replacing tyres before this limit is reached. At 1.6 millimetres in wet weather it takes an extra car length (8 metres) to stop at 50 mph than if your tread was 3 millimetres.
Duxback is a revolutionary glass treatment offered by Halfords Autocentres when applied to windows it allows rain, sleet and snow to simply bead and roll off. Making your windscreen, side and rear glass cleaner and clearer for far longer making the overall cleaning of your car a whole lot easier! The treatment is available free with a Winter Inspection or can be bought separately starting from £24.95 for windscreen.
Halfords spokesperson Rory Carlin said: “We are seeing ever more weather related breakdowns at our Halfords Autocentres and thought it would be helpful to remind drivers of the things they can do during torrential rain and flood conditions to stay safe and hopefully avoid a big repair bill. It is also worth bearing in mind that it is very stressful to drive in such circumstances and if the conditions are more than you can cope with you could always pull over somewhere safe and wait until the weather eases.”
Halfords Top Tips for driving in heavy rain or floods:
If you can keep your car undercover do and if you have a garage put your car in it because vehicles left out in the wet are more likely to suffer damp related breakdowns.
Your wipers should be new enough to remove water from your windscreen without streaking and you should ensure your windscreen is free from dirt and grease inside and out.
Ensure your car’s demist function is working both on the windscreen and rear window. If not get it fixed.
If you can't tell how deep a puddle is do not drive through it. There could be enough water to damage your engine or a hidden pothole in the puddle which could harm your car. Flowing water can push your car into another car, a tree or other object, or into deeper water. Turn back rather than test your car's limits.
At night, use your low-beam headlights to avoid excessive glare from the raindrops. High beams do not help visibility in the rain.
Check your tyre treads – worn tyres can lead to aquaplaning especially at high speeds or due to standing water.
Always leave extra space between you and the vehicle in front because it takes longer to stop in wet conditions and also because the excess spray which larger vehicles - particularly lorries - create can get into the engine compartment and damage the electrics.
If flood water enters the passenger areas of your car and it is fitted with airbags, do not turn on the ignition. The vehicle should be professionally checked as there is a risk of the airbag going off due to water in the electrical system.
Where flood water has not entered the passenger compartment the braking system of your car could have been affected.
If your vehicle has been in the flooded water for a prolonged period contact your local dealer for advice.
If your car has been in a flood for only a short time, drive with extreme caution and take the vehicle to be checked as soon as possible.
If your car cuts out after driving through deep water, do not attempt to restart it as this may damage the engine. Call a recovery company and have the vehicle examined professionally.