If you’ve lived in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex for a while, you already know how dangerous and deadly Texas weather can turn. From spring showers to torrential downpours, Prestige Ford in Garland (serving Rockwall, Mesquite, Richardson, Plano, Grapevine and Dallas) has some handy driving tips to help steer you in a safe direction during this severe weather season.
Spring weather in Texas is notorious for rain in varying degrees, from a light shower to full-on H2O assault. Rainy driving can be quite dangerous, as evidenced by Federal Highway Administration reports that cite rain as the cause of 42% of accidents from 2022 to 2012. Which such a high rate of crashes attributed to rain, here are a few tips for navigating the tricky weather.
- Vehicle maintenance: Esurance.com notes a few key parts of your vehicle that you should keep in proper form in order to drive safely. Checking your lights is vital for maintaining a good field of vision on the road. Many people neglect their wiper blades during non-rainy seasons, so it’s important to check these in advance. Finally, Esurance.com also recommends that you check your tire pressure, as low tire pressure can make it more difficult to control your vehicle in poor conditions.
- Stay attentive: Paying close attention to the road and your surroundings is even more important when traveling in inclement weather. Leaking fluids mixed with rainwater can create additional problems, so driving slower than normal is strongly encouraged.
- Skid control: Losing control of your car on wet roads, also known as hydroplaning, can be extremely dangerous. One tip for avoiding this is to refrain from using the cruise control functionality on your vehicle as cruise control can lead to complacency and slower reaction times while operating a motor vehicle. If you do skid, AAA suggests that you not use your brakes and continue to steer in the direction you want the car to go.
Prestige Ford cares about the safety of our community and our customers, and we hope that these tips will enable you to safely navigate the roads during the most volatile Texas weather season.