How to Stay Safe on Wet Roads

(ARA) - With a quarter of annual car accidents occurring in rainy or wet weather, it is important for drivers to increase their safe driving habits during the winter months. The weather can vary from snow in the northeast, to thunderstorms in the south and torrential rain in the northwest. With nature being so erratic, the best way to travel safely ensure safe travel during inclement weather is to be preparation.

Jody DeVere, president and chief executive officer of the top women’s auto advice Web site, AskPatsy.net, has teamed up with Rain-X to spread a message of safety and remind motorists to change their wiper blades annually. DeVere lends her expertise to help drivers stay safe amid the rain, snow, slush and ice.

"Annually changing your wiper blades, as well as performing quick safety checks, can help to increase safety during inclement weather," says DeVere, "Effective wiper blades are vital to maintaining roadway visibility, and there is no better time to remind people to change their wiper blades than Groundhog Day, when people are already thinking of the weather."

DeVere provides the following safe driving tips:

* See Your Way Through the Storm: Wiper blades are one of the most important parts of a vehicle’s safety equipment. Clear visibility through the use of effective wiper blades and a windshield treatment while driving can improve reaction times by up to a full second in poor weather conditions. The use of a quality wiper blade can significantly improve driving visibility. The Rain-X Latitude was recently ranked as the No. 1 contoured blade by a leading consumer magazine.

* Be Proactive: Walk around your vehicle, checking its lights, antifreeze, windshield washer fluid and wiper blades regularly.

* Maintain Your Other Boots: Ensure that your tires are properly inflated and have sufficient tread. Too often drivers let their tires wear away and wait until the weather gets better to have them changed. Tires with insufficient tread depth can reduce stopping distance in wet weather dramatically.

* Stay Half Full: As the temperature drops, keep your gas tank at least half full; the extra gas helps reduce condensation that can plug your fuel line with ice and stall your engine in cooler weather.

* Be Prepared: Create an emergency pack of items such as a blanket, a first aid kit, snacks, bottled water, an ice scraper, a flashlight and a bag of kitty litter, and keep it in your vehicle. Most motorists do not think to keep these items in their vehicle, but having such items can be critical during roadside emergencies in heavy rain or snow storms.

* Take it Easy: In addition to keeping emergency items in the vehicle, drivers should adjust their driving habits in inclement weather. Drivers should slow down when the roadways are wet, leave two car lengths between your vehicle and the one in front of you for every 10 mph, and be sure to use signals when changing lanes to indicate your intentions.

According to Rain-X, accidents in wet weather are, in part, attributed to the nearly 78 percent of motorists that only change their wiper blades after the blades begin to impair visibility and become a potential safety hazard. A good habit to adopt is cleaning the windshield every time you fill the gas tank. It’s best to check the washer fluid level at each fill-up and consider using a quality rain repellent for maximum windshield clarity. 

For additional information on how to properly prepare a vehicle to ensure clear visibility throughout the season, log on to www.Rain-X.com and check out the Tips and Information page to learn more ways to outsmart the elements.

Courtesy of ARAcontent