Driving in bad weather

1. Driving in bad weather Chapter 15

2. 15-1 Rain • Makes road surfaces slippery • Harder to see others and for others to see you • Roadway markings can disappear • Hearing and seeing can be difficult

3. Driving in rain • Always use your low-beam headlights to increase your visibility • Watch for other vehicles that may not have their lights on • Use windshield defroster and rear defogger to keep condensation off windows • Be on the lookout for pedestrians darting across the street to get out of the rain • Increase your space cushion in case you or drivers begin to skid • Signal earlier • Drive in the tracks already made by vehicles in front of you

4. Driving in rain (cont.) • Reduce speed by 25% when driving on straight roads and by 50% on curves • Don’t make sudden moves with the steering wheel • Don’t apply brakes too hard on wet surfaces • Wet brakes stop more slowly than dry brakes • Let car coast to reduce speed • If rainfall becomes too heavy, pull over to a safe area and wait for the rain to let up

5. Hydroplaning • Occurs when a thin sheet of water gets between the road surface and a vehicle’s tires, causing them to lose contact with the road • Can start and speeds as slow as 30 mph and in water little more than 1/8 inch deep • As speed increases, so does the chance of hydroplaning • Ability to slow, stop, or even steer is reduced • Any sudden jerk of the wheel or a gust of wind can send you in a uncontrolled skid • Take foot off the gas pedal and resist applying the brake • Let the cars momentum ease down until you get grip • Make sure your tires are properly inflated with good tread

6. Look for clues • Warning signs of standing water • Visible reflections • “Dimples” created by raindrops hitting the water • “Slushing” sound from the tires • Loose feeling in your steering wheel

7. Deep Water driving • Avoid it • If water is running, do not try to cross • Water as shallow as 18 inches can carry away an average car • If you can’t avoid it: • Make sure the water is low enough it does not reach the bottom of the car • You are risking getting water into the engine through the carburetor, air filter, or exhaust pipe • Can short out your electrical system • Stay close to the center and not the shoulder • Use a lower gear

8. 15-2 Snow and ice • Snow can limit your vision • Roadway markings covered by snow • Traffic signals hard to see • Cars that are not properly cleaned • If the sun is shining, sunlight can reflect off snow and ice causing a glare • “Winterizing” your vehicle • Add deicing solvent to your windshield washer solution • Tire chains • Make sure your spare is good • Have a flashlight, ice scraper, snow brush, ice pick, snow shovel, gloves, road flares, jumper cables • Have cell phone handy and carry extra clothes and blankets

9. Starting on snow • Clear your vehicle of snow • Drive back and forth to make a path for your vehicle • Use a shovel if the snow is deep • Don’t spin your wheels

10. Driving on snow and ice • Freezing and thawing occur constantly during the winter months • The greatest danger is when sleet turns into a thick sheet of ice • If it is raining or sleeting at the freezing point, ice can form instantly • Because air circulates below bridges and overpasses, they tend to freeze before other parts of the roadway • Roads can be completely dry and overpasses can still have ice on them • Sand and/or salt is laid down to melt the ice on a roadway • Not always effective

11. Driving on snow and ice • Stay in tracks created by other vehicles • Reduce speed and increase following distance • Avoid hard braking or accelerating • Coasting is the best maneuver

12. Parking on Snow or ice • Avoid parking on snowy or icy roads • Especially if they are plowing the roadway • If you have to park downhill, make sure there is enough room for you to get out without backing up • Don’t set parking brake • Can freeze and leave you unable to move your vehicle

13. 15-3 Other severe weather conditions • Fog • Most common early in the morning, late at night, at high altitudes, and near bodies of water • Some of the worst crashes have occurred in fog • Reduce your speed and increase your space cushion • Fog can give you false depth perception • Use low beam headlights • High beams make visibility worse • Pull over if you have to

14. 15-3 Other Severe weather conditions • Dust and Sand Storm • Common in deserts, agricultural areas, and sandy beach areas • Avoid driving in such conditions • Drivers could rear end you and visibility could be reduced to zero • Hail • Usually occurs in spring or summer rains • Pea-sized hail can reduce visibility and layer the road with slippery pelletsof ice • Larger hail can crack windshields and dent car bodies beyond repair • Park your vehicle in a garage to keep it out of harm

15. 15-3 Other severe weather conditions • Lightning Storms • Get indoors or stay in your vehicle • Avoid using any electronic devices, such as the radio or cellular phone • Tornados and Hurricanes • If you are caught in a tornado while driving • Pull over immediately and seek shelter under an overpass or in a ditch • Don’t try to chase a tornado • Hurricanes are accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain • Try to park under a covered area, but stay away from trees, telephone poles, or similar objects that can topple and crush your vehicle

16. 15-4 cold and hot weather • Extreme temperatures can create special problems for vehicles • Cold weather • Engines have to work harder in cold weather • Mixture of air and fuel in your engine is affected • If there is not enough anti-freeze or the wrong kind, the radiator can freeze • Blocks coolant from getting to the engine, which can cause it to overheat

17. Starting in cold weather • Cold weather puts added strain on your engine • Battery has less power, and oil, transmission fluid, and other lubricants get thicker • Keep vehicle parked in a garage if possible • If you aren’t going to use your vehicle, it is a good idea to have someone start it up for you and let it run for a while • Engine block heater?

18. Frosted Windows • Cold temperature causes windows to ice up, reducing visibility • Use an ice scraper and your defroster once the engine is warm • Moisture can build up inside the car, causing windows to fog up even with the defroster on • Keeping a window open can help aid this • Sometimes, using your air conditioner can work faster

19. Hot weather • Hot weather can put stress on your vehicle just as much as the cold • Heat causes liquids to evaporate • Make sure you check all your fluids regularly in this instance • Heat can shorten the life of a car’s battery and cause hoses and belts to crack and tear

20. Vapor Lock • In very hot weather, gasoline can boil and turn to vapor, causing your vehicle to “lock” or stop running • If this happens, shut the vehicle off and let it cool down • Once the fuel cools and condenses, you should be able to restart • Vehicles do not have this problem with the use of fuel pumps, which push the fuel to the engine

21. overheating • Driving for long periods in hot weather, in heavy traffic, up inclines, or using the air conditioner at full blast on a very hot day, can cause the engine to overheat • Pull over and let the vehicle cool • Open the hood, windows, even turn on the heater to draw heat away from the engine • Water can also be used as a temporary coolant if needed • Make sure the engine has cooled enough or risk cracking the engine block • If it continues to overheat, don’t drive • Call a tow truck and have it looked at immediately