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Driving safely on wet roads
Slow down. If more drivers followed this tip in the rain, accidents would dramatically decrease. Wet weather doesn’t receive the same attention as winter weather driving, but it should. Wet roads present similar dangers – less grip and longer stopping distance, for example.
Here are some tips for driving safely on wet roads:
- Make sure your tires offer the proper amount of tread.
- Drive with two hands. Always.
- Slow down before turning, and maintain a consistent speed throughout the turn.
- While turning, don’t make any sudden steering wheel movements.
- Only brake in a straight line before the turn, and do so gradually. Be careful if you need to brake during the turn.
- Increase your following distance from other cars significantly.
- If hydroplaning, do not accelerate or brake suddenly. Keep your foot lightly on the gas and steer the car forward until your tires regain traction.
Avoid sliding
What is it:
Your front or rear tires won't follow in the direction you are steering.
How to regain control:
Gently ease up on the gas pedal and slow down until the car regains traction.
How to avoid it:
Check the air pressure monthly.
Check the tread depth monthly – tires need enough tread to evacuate water.
Driving tip:
Drive slower in rain or on wet roads.
Oversteering/Understeering | Michelin Tires Canada
Braking in rain
Wet Driving | Michelin Tires Canada
Oversteer/Understeer:
These terms may be a bit technical, but bear with us. It’s easy and important. When you take turns in both wet and dry conditions (but especially wet), you can easily lose control by oversteering or understeering. Learn what these problems are and how to beat them by watching the video above.
What to do if you slide forward instead of turning
What is it:
Your front tires lose traction and could slide right off the road before your rear tires. This is called understeering. Your car doesn’t follow the turn and slides straight off the road.
How to regain control:
Gently ease up on gas pedal and slow down until your tires regain traction.
How to avoid it:
- Check the air pressure monthly.
- Check the tread depth monthly.
Oversteering/Understeering | Michelin Tires Canada
Avoid spinning out from a turn
Wet Driving | Michelin Tires Canada
What is it:
Your rear tires lose traction before your front tires and you start to spin.
How to regain control:
- If you have a front-wheel-drive: turn into the direction in which you are skidding. Remove steering correction as the rear axle begins to regain traction and straighten back up.
- If you have a rear-wheel-drive: ease up on the gas pedal and turn away from the skid. Remove steering correction as the rear axle begins to regain traction.
- If you have an all-wheel-drive: turn in the same direction that you are skidding and maintain light acceleration. Remove steering correction once the rear axle starts to regain traction.
How to avoid it
- Check the air pressure monthly.
- Check the tread depth monthly.
- Have your tires rotated regularly so that they wear evenly.
- If you purchase only 2 new tires, make sure they are placed at the rear of the vehicle.
Driving tip:
Do not turn too sharply.
Avoid hydroplaning
What is it:
The tires slip and do not respond to steering, braking or accelerating. The vehicle can even skid or spin. It occurs when the water between your tires and the road cannot be removed quickly enough. This layer of water builds up in front of the tire until the tire cannot evacuate the water sufficiently. This is when the tire loses contact with the road.
How to regain control:
- Don’t hit the brakes suddenly.
- Ease off the gas pedal gently until you slow down and regain traction.
How to avoid it:
- Check your tire pressure monthly. Tire pressure below 30% of what is recommended greatly increases the risk of hydroplaning.
- Check your tread depths monthly on all of your tires.
- Reduce your speed when approaching large puddles or standing water.