Top Tips for Driving in Heavy Rain

Heavy rain can be blinding, disorientating, noisy, and dangerous to drive in around Winnipeg area roads. Visibility is reduced, your vehicle can be harder to control because of worsened traction, and accidents are more likely to happen. However, driving through a heavy rainstorm isn't impossible if you're prepared and know what to do when the situation arises. Follow our top tips and you’ll be driving in the rain like a pro.

1. The Best Type of Tires to Use

2. Be Aware of Visibility

3. Use Your Headlights

4. Watch Your Speed

5. Use Your Wipers

The Best Type of Tires to Use

Tires play a crucial part when faced with a wet road. Picking tires that match the rainy season is an easy way to stay ahead of any danger.

The best tires to use during heavy rain are all-season or all-weather tires. These both offer excellent traction when driving on a wet road. Additionally, these tires will have additional benefits in all other weather conditions compared to seasonal tires made for specific conditions.

Be Aware of Visibility

Visibility can quickly become reduced during heavy rain, from blurred vision in front of you to water on your windows, causing blind spots and other issues.

Use Your Headlights

Using your headlights will make you more visible to other drivers and will help improve your vision, as well. That will reduce collisions and help give you better visibility directly in front of you to see what’s ahead of you.

Watch Your Speed

Your speed becomes an even more important factor when you can't see well. Stay at or below the speed limit and accelerate slowly when starting after a stop. When you can't see far in front of you, you'll have less warning time should you need to brake. Additionally, watching your speed can help you keep an eye out for standing water and other hazards on the roads.

Use Your Wipers

Using your wipers correctly is an easy way to increase your visibility. Wait a few moments after it starts raining for your windshield to get properly wet before starting your wipers. If it’s too dry, the windshield will likely be smudged from dirt or half-wiped away water.

Ventilate Your Car

Humidity rises when it rains, so it's easy for fog to build up on the inside of your windows. Most cars already have a function to reduce this layer of condensation. However, opening your windows slightly can help.

Alternatively, you might want to find a safe place to stop and wipe down the windows with a tissue or cloth if they get too fogged up. Sprays and similar products are available to reduce this build-up as well.

Watch Out for Deep Puddles

Standing water on roads can be dangerous, causing loss of traction and even hydroplaning in some cases. Should you start hydroplaning, take your foot off the accelerator but don’t step on the brakes. Then, calmly control the steering wheel in the direction you want to go to try to get the car back under control.