Safe Driving in the Rains

 Windscreen / Window fogging:

• Remember the fundamentals : Window fogging occurs due to a temperature difference between the inside surface of your glass and the outside. For example, if you drive without the air-con and all your windows are shut, the cabin is warmer than the outside, resulting in the window fogging up from inside. On the other hand, if you run your air-con on full blast mode, the interiors of your car will be colder than the outside. Thus, your glasses will fog up from the outside. 
• Keep the air-con on fresh air / ventilation mode. 
• It is important to maintain the right temperature balance between the inner & exterior sides of glass. Don't turn your air-con to full blast. Keep it at a level which is just about comfortable.
• Use your rear windscreen demister liberally. It heats up little wires in your rear glass and gets rid of the mist / fog.
• When the windows fog from the inside, the best thing to do is to switch the aircon on. It will clear up the screens in a jiffy. The situation is a little tricker when the windows fog up from the outside. The ideal solution is to roll down the windows a little, and let the air flow more or less neutralize the temperature difference. Most modern cars come with the demist / defog mode as part of the standard HVAC system.

Drive safe! The rains are simply beautiful. Taking the necessary precautions will make your rainy drives a pleasure that you will look forward to!

Safe Driving in the Rains

Flooded areas

• If you aren’t sure about the depth of the flood, do NOT drive through it. Taking an alternate route is best. If you just have to use that stretch, wait until another car / bus attempts to pass the flood, and gauge its depth. Never drive through a flood unless you know how deep it is and that your car can handle it. 
• Switch off your air-con before entering the flooded area. 
• Always keep your windows slightly open when traveling through a flooded area. If you get stuck, you can shout for help or even force the window down.
• When in a flooded area, choose the first gear, slip the clutch and keep the revs high enough to ensure that exhaust gases are pushed out of the tail pipe.
• Do NOT stop revving. The lower your car's speed, the better. If your car stalls, it is very difficult to start it again. 
• If your car does stall, do not attempt to restart. This may lead to engine hydrolock. You first need to check if any water has entered the air intake or exhaust pipe. 
• Once out of the water trap, pump / tap your brakes to dry the drums and discs off.

Child car seats

Children must normally use the correct car seat until they reach 135 centimetres tall or age 12, but there are exceptions. The type of car seat your child needs depends on their weight.

Never carry a child on your lap or use a single seat belt for 2 passengers, whatever their age.
Child car seat types

Type of seat	Weight range
Rear-facing baby seats	Babies up to 13kg
Forward or rear-facing baby seats	Children from 9 to 18kg
Forward-facing child car seats (booster seats)	Children from 15 to 25kg
Booster cushions	Children over 22kg

Some seats are adjustable and can be used as your child grows - check the seat label.

Hydroplaning and Driving in the Rain

Losing control of your car on wet pavement is a frightening experience.
Skids are scary but hydroplaning is completely nerve-wracking.
Hydroplaning happens when the water in front of your tires builds up faster than your car's weight can push it out of the way. The water pressure causes your car to rise up and slide on a thin layer of water between your tires.
Taking these simple tips into account can save your life.

1. You can prevent skids by driving slowly and carefully, especially on curves. Steer and brake with a light touch. When you need to stop or slow, do not brake hard or lock the wheels and risk a skid. Maintain mild pressure on the brake pedal.


2. If you do find yourself in a skid, remain calm, ease your foot off the gas, and carefully steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go. You must be prepared to turn the steering wheel again and again until the front of the vehicle is traveling in a straight line. For cars without anti-lock brakes, avoid using your brakes. If your car has ABS, brake firmly as you steer into the skid.


3. Avoid hydroplaning by keeping your tires inflated correctly. Maintain good tire tread. Don't put off replacing worn tires. Slow down when roads are wet, and stay away from puddles. Try to drive in the tire tracks left by the cars in front of you.


4. If you find yourself hydroplaning, do not brake or turn suddenly. This could throw your car into a skid. Ease your foot off the gas until the car slows and you can feel the road again. If you need to brake, do it gently with light pumping actions. If your car has anti-lock brakes, then brake normally. The car's computer will automatically pump the brakes much more effectively than a person can do.


5. A defensive driver adjusts his or her speed to the wet road conditions in time to avoid having to use any of these measures.

Seven Basic Tip

1. Stay near the middle lanes:

Water tends to collect on the side of the road, and it’s important to avoid puddles and large pools of water since they can cause a loss of steering or braking control when they prevent direct contact between tires and the road. This is called hydroplaning or aquaplaning.

2. Let the car in front work for you:

The car in front of you is displacing and pushing water away and creating a better driving surface for you. Try to use it by keeping your steering and tires aligned with the car in front of you while maintaining a safe distance.

3. Don’t use cruise control:

Braking on wet roads requires your full attention and cruise control can slow your reaction time to brake and accelerate.

4. Listen to the rain like a mindful ninja

Listening to the rain hitting your car helps develop a better sense of the weather, so you can drive accordingly. It can also be kind of soothing and relaxing. It’s OK to listen to traffic and weather reports or play some music to brighten up a rainy day, but make sure it’s not too loud.

5. Avoid driving near busses and trucks:

Big vehicles make big splashes that can hit your windshield and momentarily block your sight, so try not to drive close to them.

6. Test and dry your brakes:

Wet brake pads have less power. If you drove over a deep puddle, keep testing your brakes by stepping on and off them to help dry the pads.

7. Don’t slam on the brakes:

If your car is hydroplaning or slipping, don’t step on the brakes abruptly to stop your slipping vehicle. This can potentially make your car spin even more. Grip your steering wheel firmly and slow down little by little until your car is under control again.