Safe Driving in the Rain

Driving a car can be dangerous anytime, but add rain, mud and floods and the picture gets even uglier. Driving in such adverse conditions--especially if El Nino produces heavy rains-- requires mastering the basics of driving, as well as knowledge of how your vehicle is likely to perform in hazardous situations.

Wet roads mean poor traction. The Automobile Club of Southern California points out that the first 10 minutes of a heavy downpour are the most dangerous, as oil and debris wash over streets.

The number of crashes skyrockets during storms. There were twice the number of accidents during last Sunday’s rain than on a typical dry Sunday, according to the California Highway Patrol. The big tip from the LAPD’s Valley Traffic Division: slow down. Many crashes can be prevented by using extra caution and staying alert to changing conditions.

Be Prepared

- Check wiper blades; fill washer reservoir

- Make sure headlights, taillights, brake lights and directional signals are clean and working

- Keep windshield and inside windows clean

- Recharge or replace weak battery--wet weather puts heavy demand on charging system.

- Check ignition wires, distributor cap and spark plugs--if worn down, starting may be difficult or a sudden breakdown may occur.

- Check heating and cooling systems and radiator and hoses for leaks or cracks.

- Keep an emergency kit with flashlight, blanket, booster cables, window-washing fluid and flares or reflective triangles.

General Tips

- Slow down

- Increase distance behind other vehicles

- Use center lanes because water collects at curbs

- Avoid distractions, such as using a cell phone, while driving

- Keep headlights on during rain

- To prevent window from fogging, open window slightly and turn defroster on high; use air conditioning to reduce humidity.

- Think 20-30 seconds ahead

The Correct Way to Brake

At 65 mph on wet roads, a car needs 730 ft. to stop, versus 250 ft. on dry pavement. Antilock Braking

The antilock braking system works in conjunction with regular “foundation” brakes to keep wheels from locking, helping vehicle stay in a straight line and preventing skidding. During an emergency braking situation, a vehicle with ABS should be able to maintain traction and besteered around objects. Drivers with ABS should be aware that braking technique differs from that of conventional brakes.

1. Sensors near each wheel monitor rotational speed to determine when the wheels are about to lose traction and lock. The electronic control unit monitors these signals and sends commands to the hydraulic control unit to modulate brake pressure of all four wheels, adjusting pressure to each wheel independently.

2. When the antilock brake system has been activated, driver is alerted by a mechanical sound and a pulsating sensation or increased resistance in the brake pedal.

3. Rather than pumping brake, driver should step firmly on the brake pedal, maintaining pressure until car comes to stop. Taking foot off pedal disengages antilock system.

- Antilock braks pumps automatically at a rate of up to 18 times per second whenever a sensor detects the start of wheel lock.

Tire Care and Safety

On wet pavement, there’s only 1/12-inch of water between a vehicle’s tires and the road; each tire has to displace 1 gallon of water per second. Good tread allows water to escape from under tires.

- Proper inflation increases traction; low tire pressure causes tread to squeeze together, reducing tire’s ability to wipe or channel away water. Underinflated tires heat up, increasing the chance for a blowout.

*

Hydroplaning

* Hydroplaning occurs when a film of water between tires and road causes car to skid.

* A car’s grip on the road depends on its tire footprint--the small area of contact where the tire meets the road. Amount of water, car speed and tire pressure allaffect footprint traction.

Tread wear: When tread is worn to 1/16-inch, tires must be replaced. Built-in tread indicators, or “wear bars” appear as narrow strips of smooth rubber across the tread when tire is worn.

Sport Utility Vehicles

Drivers of sport utility vehicles may feel safer and more in control than drivers of autos, but because SUVs are bigger and have a higher center of gravity than cars, they handle and maneuver differently. They aren’t designed to corner at the same top speeds as passenger cars and they need more space to stop. Abrupt maneuvers possible in an auto can cause of loss of control in a sports utility vehicle.

Wet-Weather Accidents

Statewide fatal and injury collisions in rainy conditions, by month for 1996:

January

Fatal: 29

Injury: 3,573

February

Fatal: 86

Injury: 2,152

March

Fatal: 62

Injury: 2,615

April

Fatal: 8

Injury: 1,943

May

Fatal: 3

Injury: 600

June

Fatal: --

Injury: 50

July

Fatal: --

Injury: 64

August

Fatal: 2

Injury: 19

September

Fatal: 2

Injury: 82

October

Fatal: 10

Injury: 746

November

Fatal: 25

Injury: 1,424

December

Fatal: 37

Injury: 2,937

Sources: Automobile Club of Southern California; ABS Education Alliance; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; Tire Industry Safety Council; Researched by JULIE SHEER/Los Angeles Times