Top 10 Tips and Tricks for Driving Safe This Monsoon

The rains have started and you’d like nothing better than to drive to a tea/pakora stall. Although driving seems fun at a time when you would do anything to feel the cool breeze ruffle your hair, there are certain safety precautions you need to keep in mind to avert any unseen dangers of driving during the monsoons.

AutoGyaan brings you 10 driving tips to remember this monsoon:

Tip 1: Check your wiper

The wiper check is essential. Your car’s wiper blades can become inefficient over time and as the monsoon comes around the corner, you need to ensure their effectiveness in working. A reliable pair of wiper blades that doesn’t mess with your windshield should be the first thing you need to take care of.

Tip 2: Maintain a safe distance

Keep at a good distance from the car ahead of you. The brakes don’t work too well during the rains and the roads are slippery. To avoid getting trapped in a scuffle on the road or any unforeseen accidents, you need to ensure that you do maintain a safe braking distance at all times.

Tip 3: Turn them lights on

Compromised vision in the rain should not be an excuse for carelessness on the road. Road safety has to be the top priority and there sure are ways to deal with the hampered vision. Low beam driving is highly advisable to improve visibility and save your car from bumping into stuff. High beam driving should be strictly avoided at all costs. If the low beam lights fail to work their magic then park your car on the side of the road with the hazard lights on, and wait till the rain subsides and everything is in clear sight.

Tip 4: Avoid abrupt changes in car control

Loss of friction on the road caused by sudden changes in controls can lead to major accidents. Try handling the car controls in a manner that does not lead to any last minute anxieties about unanticipated puddles and craters that are hard to spot during the rains. Avoid abrupt braking and keep the steering steady. Accelerate gradually while maintaining a safe distance for errors.

Tip 5: Make pedestrians a priority

Completely indisciplined, carefree souls just freewheeling through the road are not hard to find in India. Monsoons certainly ignite the jolly spirit in most of us, however to get carried away with the feeling as if in a stupor, and driving through the puddles in high speed hoping to add to the poor pedestrians’ difficulty in keeping themselves dry, just doesn’t seem like something to be proud of. Bikers and motorists are not so comfortable with the rains and saving them from some of the monsoon trouble does not seem like  a bad idea at all.

Tip 6: Avoid driving through the puddles

It is true that the rains bring along some uncertainties that may not seem as evident unless you actually encounter one or two yourself. However, it is always better to take precaution than learning the same thing after the damage has been done. Puddles of still water could run deeper than you would like to imagine.

Tip 7: Check your spare tyre

Tyres get worn out with use over time and most people think that it is not something to worry about at all. The puddles and holes are filled with water during the rains, and the gravel may consist of sharp stones and pebbles which are capable of puncturing a tyre. So make sure to check them before heading to the driver’s seat.

Tip 8: Stick to your Lane

The rain wouldn’t compromise on its pouring down regardless of what might follow a seemingly sly maneuvre of your steering wheel. It could in fact lead to a major accident. Also, we wish that the rear view mirrors had their own mini wipers, but they don’t. So sticking to a single lane while maintaining some level of patience should probably make for a safer drive.

Tip 9: Defog your car to get rid of the haze

Keep your car’s AC at a warm temperature and make sure your ventilation is on so as to allow for proper air-circulation. Remember to turn the direction of the airflow towards the windscreen. If your car does not have an air-conditioner, roll down your windows just a bit to allow some fresh air to come right in, and keep a cloth near you to keep wiping the mist off the windscreen.

Tip 10: Check your safety tools

The kit check is probably the most important and the most neglected safety precaution that people take for granted. Stuck in the rain with no tools to fix the car and no cell service to call for help sounds like a scary nightmare. Also, ensure that your car’s dashboard has basic first-aid help even if you have taken care of all the other things.