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.