The first rains are here!

Over the weekend most parts of South Africa experienced their first significant rainfall of summer. As the first rain falls on the roads, drivers do not only experience the normal wet and slippery conditions of driving in rain but also need to contend with the lifting of the rubber and oil that collected on the road during winter.

Consequently, drivers setting off on Monday morning can expect more hazardous road conditions as the deposits of oil and rubber have not yet washed away. This makes the roads even more slippery and hazardous than during the rest of the rainy season.

The CEO of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, says if you do find the roads more slippery than expected, follow these tips. “The most important thing is to gradually reduce your speed. Do not brake harshly and suddenly. Keep both hands on the steering wheel.

“Look where you want to be – while this may seem counterintuitive, our instinct is to steer in the direction that we are looking. Thus, if there is tree in front of you, don’t look at the tree, rather look at where you want to be,” advises Herbert.

Follow these additional tips on the best way to handle the roads in wet conditions:

• Before leaving, check your wiper blades to ensure that they have not deteriorated over winter.
• Give yourself more travel time so you do not have to rush in bad weather.
• Adjust your speed to suit the conditions, however, do not slow down unnecessarily as this is just as dangerous.
• Do not use cruise control.
• Turn on your headlights.
• Brake earlier and with more caution.
• Avoid water which has pooled on the roads.
• If you cannot avoid this, drive through it slowly in case there is hidden debris or potholes.
• Leave additional following distance.
• Driving recklessly and speeding increases chances of hydroplaning.
• If you hydroplane, slowly lift your foot from the accelerator but do not brake harshly or move your steering wheel violently.
• Consider going for driver training on a skid pan to learn how to react if you do lose control during rainy weather.

As you embark on your journeys today, keep these tips in mind to arrive home safely tonight.

Ends