There is nothing worse than getting caught in the rain when you are driving. And if you are from North Carolina or live in the area, then you know how incredibly dangerous it can be. Just last night, I had to run an errand in the middle of rush hour traffic while it was pouring sheets of rain. Not only that, but there is construction going on in the area that I live in, so I had to really be alert.
As I was driving, I could not believe how incredibly bad people were driving. I can understand being in a rush to want to get home, but it is no reason to drive like an idiot. That being said, the biggest issue that I saw was that people were following each other way too closely. After all, what would happen if someone in front of a group of cars were to suddenly apply pressure to their brakes and make a sudden stop? No doubt, there would be a domino effect as cars piled into each other one by one. When you are driving, you have to be cognizant of what is going on around you at all times. My cell phone rang while I was driving in the rain, and while I did glance down quickly to see if it was anyone important, I did not answer it. Had it been a phone call that I would want to take, then I would have had to pull over into a parking lot off the roadway to answer the call.
Too often, people are distracted while driving, and it is ten times worse to be distracted while driving in inclement weather. When it is raining outside, you should always make sure that your headlights are on, and that your rear lights are working. In order to check to see if your rear lights are working, you can do one of two things. You can ask a friend or family member to simply stand behind your vehicle while you apply pressure to the breaks. They will then be able to tell you if something is working properly or not. If you are alone but are curious to see whether or not your brakes are working properly, then find an area where there is a wall or space where you can back your car into and see the reflection of your rear bumper. For example, at the apartment complex that I live in, in certain areas, when I back my vehicle into a space, I can actually see my vehicle reflected in some of the apartment windows. This offers a great opportunity for me to check to see whether my rear lights are working properly. The final way that you can check to see if your rear lights are working (although you don t want this extra option) is to get stopped by the police. They will certainly be more than happy to alert you to the problem. The only difference there is that it might cost you more than you would like.
Having rear lights that are in proper working order is expressly important while driving because it lets other drivers know when you are slowing down. This is an especially important feature to have at your disposal when you are driving in the rain. Also, make sure that the tread in your tires is in good shape, otherwise you may find yourself hydroplaning off the road and right into an accident.