Autumn is on the calendar, which means a difficult time for drivers, especially for beginners, who are driving this fall for the first time. After all, the car on the wet cold road is no longer as obedient as it used to be. Our experts have shared golden bad weather driving tips to help you avoid dangerous accidents.

1. When skidding - do not twist the steering wheel

Surely everyone in the driving school was taught that during a skid, you need to turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid. However, this rule applies only on ice, in conditions of mud and wet asphalt, as soon as the grip on the road surface returns to normal (this happens twice as fast as on ice), the car will sharply blow to the side even more.

What to do: If the car is being carried, slowly release the accelerator pedal and keep the steering wheel level or twist slightly in the reverse direction. Do not use emergency braking - this will only make the situation worse.

2. After a puddle - dry the brakes

When entering a puddle, especially a deep one, at a speed of over 10–20 km / h, water gets on the brake pads and discs. As a result, braking performance is reduced by approximately 20%, which can be fatal if emergency braking is required.

What to do: Again, if it was not possible to go around the puddle, after driving through it, you must dry the brakes. So, without picking up speed, lightly and intermittently press the brake pedal 2-3 times - discs and brake pads from such manipulations heat up, evaporate water and quickly become dry.

3. Stay far right in the rain

Rain on the street is not a hindrance, but a thick wall of water increases the chances of not leaving with a ride or oncoming car.
Due to the drops, an optical effect is created, in which the distance appears to be about twice as far as it actually is.

What to do: When driving in the rain, especially heavy rain, stay on the far right lane and try to avoid overtaking and overtaking.

4. Tiptoe through the leaves

Fallen leaves are even more dangerous than ice. Falling on an autumn carpet, losing control of the car is as easy as shelling pears and getting it back is extremely difficult. This is due to wet foliage, wet asphalt and a slippery layer of dirt and oils between them, which sharply decreases traction (after all, the wheels do not contact the road directly) and the braking distance increases.

What to do: Seeing a leafy road in front of you, even if there is no rain or fog on the street, move without sudden maneuvers (braking, turning, accelerating) and in a low gear. Also, in these conditions, hold the steering wheel with both hands - as in areas with strong crosswinds.

5. Turn on the wipers in front of the puddle

Puddles, especially large ones, are dangerous not only for their surprises (glass, a nail, a deep hole, etc. can lurk at the bottom). It is also worth bypassing them because of the risk of temporary loss of road visibility - a wave of dirty water from under the wheels can overwhelm and heavily stain the windshield, which will result in an instant loss of control over the road situation. As a result, this can lead to a collision with a suddenly appeared pedestrian, cyclist or passing vehicle.

What to do: If there is a big puddle in front of you, which is not possible to go around, turn on the wipers in advance and gradually reduce the speed to the minimum (it is better to pass such sections at a speed of about 10 km / h).

6. Warm up the tires at the first kilometer

Frosts will start soon in the morning. Due to the low temperature, a slippery layer forms on the road, which significantly increases the braking distance and the risk of losing control of the car. In addition, the tires of a car that has spent the night on the street or in a cold garage have hardened, so their grip deteriorates even more.

What to do: Warm up the tires to keep the car obedient and maximum grip. So, the first km move at a speed of 30-40 km / h, trying to go "snake" (on an empty road) or rebuilding from row to row. Then accelerate the next kilometer to 60-70 km / h and also do not move in a straight line.

7. Enter a corner in low gear

On curves of the road (as on a smooth bend, overpass, overpass, etc.), many drivers are used to not slowing down. On a dry road at an average speed, it is safe, but on wet asphalt it is fraught with skidding into a bump stop, ditch, etc., since the grip on the road is weak, and the car simply will not keep on its trajectory.

What to do: Before the maneuver, slowly reduce the speed, shift to a lower gear and after entering the corner, smoothly press the accelerator pedal while leveling the steering wheel.

8. In dense fog, turn on the emergency lights

During dense fog, visibility can be limited to 50–100 m, so even in the city it is necessary to turn on fog lights or low beams. However, even at the same time, you need to be extremely careful - the white light of the headlights with dense water vapor is “lost” and becomes noticeable only at close range, which increases the risk of accidents (after all, it will not work to slow down quickly on a wet road).

What to do: In circumstances of limited visibility during fog, especially in the morning or in the evening, turn on the emergency lights while driving or stopping - even in such conditions, the orange light does not scatter and will break through for long distances.

Have you had to deal with the elements on the road?