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Driving in the Rain 
This article will help you handle driving in the rain which is one of the most common driving hazards we face in the UK. Below are some tips on preparing your car for these conditions and some tips on how to adapt your driving to wet and difficult driving conditions.
Tyres and Wipers
The condition of your tyres is a very important factor when driving in the rain, particularly when we come to aquaplaning a little bit later in the news letter. So it's a good idea to check your tyres not only to see if they are within the legal limit which is a minimum of 1.6m tread depth, but also if they are correctly inflated.
With regard to wiper blades the general rule is if they make any noise or leave streaks on the windscreen they will need replacing.
Wet Grip
Is the reduced amount of grip available from your tyres in wet conditions; it will take twice as long to stop in wet conditions than it would if it was dry, and also the grip level from surface to surface can change dramatically, making judging braking distance and cornering speed much more difficult . So when driving in wet conditions, it is important to give yourself some leeway to allow for mistakes in judgement, as they are far more likely to occur in wet conditions.
Reduced Visibility
When it is raining, your all round visibility in the car is reduced and your blind spots are very much larger, so it is important to take care when pulling out of junctions or changing lanes on a motorway. Also remember visibility is reduced for other road users too, so they are less likely to see you, it is important to allow for this and expect other drivers to make mistakes.
Aquaplaning
Aquaplaning is a very dangerous situation; it leaves the driver with no control over the vehicle speed or direction. It's the hazard that drivers fear most in rain particularly on motorways.
What is it?
Aquaplaning occurs when a film of water is formed between the tyre and the roads surface which lifts the tyre off the road.
Why does it happen?
To understand why aquaplaning occurs; you first need to understand the job of your tyres. As you can see from the photos below, when the tyre is running in water, the tyre treads pump water from underneath the tyre, aquaplaning occurs when the treads or channels in the tyre become overwhelmed and can no longer pump out enough water. 
Contributing Factors
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Tyres
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Water depth
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Speed
Tyres
As mentioned earlier tread depth is important not only to stay legal, but also for your car to perform properly in wet conditions. If your tyres are worn they are far more likely to aquaplane than new tyres. Also if your car is fitted with wide high performance tyres these have much more water to shift and are therefore more likely to aquaplane. Tyre pressure is also extremely important; under inflated tyres leave a pocket in the centre of the tyre which can gather water and the onset of aquaplaning can occur much earlier. Correct tyre pressure ensures that the tyre treads sit flat on the road and can therefore do their job more effectively.
Water Depth
Water depth is also of course a factor which contributes to aquaplaning, this can be very difficult to judge or spot particularly on a motorway. It is important to be aware of where standing water can occur; it usually occurs when a drain or gulley becomes overwhelmed.
Speed
Probably the most important factor which a driver can influence in these conditions is speed. The faster you drive the more water the tyre has to pump out from underneath itself, so if you drive more slowly, the tyre has more capacity to cope if the water gets deeper. So keep your speed down!
What if it Happens?
The first thing to be aware of, is that when people crash in an aquaplane situation it is usually because they over reacted; as mentioned earlier, in this situation the tyres are not in touch with the road therefore you have no control. The best advice is to ease very gently off the throttle and wait until either:
Obviously this sounds easy theoretically but is much harder in practice, as mentioned at the start aquaplaning is a very dangerous situation, the best advice is to avoid it if at all possible! Check your tyres regularly and in heavy rain keep your speed down.
Drive Safely
Lionel Firn (Chief Instructor)
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