Driving in the Rain

Rain and wet roads can make driving hazardous. Here are some things to consider when driving in rain or on slippery pavement:

• Reduce speed and allow extra distance. Heavy precipitation makes it harder to see and increases the distance required to stop the vehicle.
• Turn off cruise control.
• Replace the windshield wiper blades when streaks appear or when areas of the windshield are not wiped clean.
• Tires must be kept in proper condition with at least 2/32 in. tread depth. If your tires do not have sufficient tread, a sudden stop on a wet road may cause skidding and possibly an accident. See "Tire Tread" in chapter 7.
• Turn on the headlights so that others can see you more easily.
• Driving too fast through large puddles may affect brake performance. If you must drive through puddles, drive through them slowly.
• If you believe your brakes may be wet, lightly apply them while driving until normal braking performance returns.

Hydroplaning

If the road is wet enough and you are driving fast enough, your vehicle may have virtually no contact with the road surface and actually ride on water. The best advice is to SLOW DOWN when the road is wet.

The risk of hydroplaning increases as tire tread depth decreases. See "Tire Tread" in chapter 7.