We are used to bad weather in Ireland, but driving through a storm requires more care to stay safe. You are much more likely to have an accident on the road when visibility is poor, there is heavy rain and/or strong winds. Here are our tips on keeping safe on the road during a storm:
We are always given this advice on the news when storms are brewing and it can be easy to ignore. However, it’s something that we really should listen to – it’s the easiest way to protect yourself, your passengers and other road users. Ask yourself if your journey really has to be made and consider the risk you are taking. Can you postpone or rearrange your trip?
If you do need to travel in a storm, plan your route thoroughly, double check the forecast and give yourself extra time to complete your journey, so you’ll have time to take any detours if needed. Try to stick to main roads so you are less likely to encounter fallen branches, debris and flooding on quiet routes that may render you alone and stranded. If particularly strong winds are expected, avoid elevated bridges or exposed roads and consider travelling through urban areas wherever possible, which will offer protection from buildings.
Ensure your vehicle is as safe as it can be to travel – check tyre pressures, test your brakes and check all your lights are working*. If they are not essential, it’s also recommended to remove items such as roof boxes that could impact vehicle stability in strong winds.
*While we’re on the subject of lights – if there is low visibility from heavy downpours, once you are on the road, it’s important that you put your headlights on, dipped, so that other vehicles can see you and you can see a bit further ahead.
You don’t want to be soaking wet at the side of the road if your car breaks down. Ensure you have a waterproof coat, sensible footwear and warm clothing in the car for everyone travelling with you. It will make for a much more comfortable wait for the recovery truck! We’d also recommend taking a flask in case you are waiting in the cold.
If you do come across a flooded road, don’t attempt to drive through it! You can never be sure how deep the water is, or what hazards are beneath the surface. Cars float in as little as 30cms of water, and just a small amount of water getting into your engine can damage your car beyond repair.
If you do find your car aquaplaning while driving, it’s important to react, but with control – ease off your accelerator and slow down gently, holding your steering wheel straight.
If it’s raining heavily, spray from other cars can seriously reduce your visibility, and it happens suddenly, so pay extra attention to the road in front. Watch out for spray coming up from the tyres of other vehicles, and be aware of any deep puddles you may be driving through, which might then impair the vision of other drivers.
Through windy conditions, keep an eye out for any potential obstacles that could be blown into your path and remember branches can become dislodged during storms. Staying alert and slowing down will help you anticipate and avoid any debris that could become a hazard.
If there are particuarly strong winds, be aware of any gaps between buildings and tree lines at the sides of the road as you approach, as this is where side-winds will be strongest. Sudden gusts could catch you off guard, so make sure you leave space either side of your vehicle.
Whether you are facing heavy rain, strong winds, or both of these adverse weather conditions, the best driving technique to adopt to keep you safe is to slow down. Maintaining a reduced speed improves your control of the vehicle, improves stability and gives you more time to react to any potential hazards.
If the road is wet and your visibility is reduced, slowing down is even more important. It’s better to be safe and a little late, than to rush and risk an accident.
Wet road surfaces lead to longer braking distances – at least double that of dry conditions – so give yourself a bigger gap between the vehicle in front. Ideally there should be at least four seconds between you and the car in front. Strong winds also cause unpredictable driving behaviour, so the increased space between you and the car in front means you have time to respond to other drivers losing control or braking suddenly, as well as giving you the opportunity to respond safely to changing road conditions.
It’s particularly important to maintain a safe distance from vehicles such as motorcycles, trucks and trailers, which are all vulnerable to the effects of strong winds that can cause them to sway. If you need to pass any of these vehicle, ensure you leave plenty of space to overtake safely.
Obviously pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders all also need more space to keep everyone safe.
If you’ve ever driven on a windy day, you would have felt it buffering against your car. A strong gust of wind can quite easily lead to the car veering out of the lane, so be sure to drive with both hands firmly on the wheel, so that you can keep your car on the right path. Stay alert and keep that firm grip on the wheel to ensure you can counteract any sudden force, but try to avoid abrupt steering movements that could cause you to loose control.
Without wind, your steering may feel unresponsive, which can happen when water is preventing your tyres from gripping the road. If you experience this, ease off your accelerator and slow down gradually, keeping both hands on the wheel.
Conditions can change rapidly during a storm and sadly accidents are likely to have occurred on other people’s journeys. Make sure you tune into local radio stations for weather reports and most importantly live traffic reports. Knowing what’s happening in real time will mean you can make better decisions while on the road and even switch to a safer route to your destination.
