With todays severe weather warnings, I thought I would write a timely reminder of safer driving in flooded areas. Areas of Essex and Kent are prone to flooding and the roads become more dangerous

Pre-journey checks

• Check your windscreen wipers are fully operational
• Check the tyres – the tread, the pressure – you shouldn’t drive on a bald tyre in any circumstances, in a flooded areas you will have very little traction.
• Your headlights are working – if there is a lot of spray, the headlights will make you visible

Whilst driving

• Adhere to the speed limits or less
• Keep an eye on the road surface – although not wet, it may be greasy from recent rainful
• Stop sooner – stopping distances increase in wet weather
• Spray from other vehicles can impair your vision, leave a decent gap (hope you checked your windscreen wipers
• Be aware that defects in the road by may be obscured from view by puddles and flooded areas. This disguises potholes and foreign objects.

Remember, driving through deep water can make your engine stop. Make sure you have your mobile phone with you and charged, and programmed with your breakdown services number.

If in doubt, don’t drive at all in this weather. For all the care you take on the road, you need to remember that other drivers may not take the same care and attention as you.

Safe driving

Kevin

PS Scroll back, top right there is an interesting video  on driving in flooded area, and can be downloaded as a refresher.

Safer driving, safer deliveries