Driving in the rain can sometimes be cumbersome and even worse driving in snow, especially on these days under the 2020 cold wave caused by the stormy Gloria. In recent weeks, several Spanish cities have suffered traffic problems on days with adverse weather conditions, such as traffic jams at the entrances to Madrid that have already become famous and popular on social networks with the hashtag #atascoMadrid. On rainy days, extreme precautions must be taken at the wheel to avoid accidents , since the conditions of the road make driving more complicated.
In addition, with heavy rains, drivers see their driving skills diminished, as visibility decreases and stress and nerves increase while driving, which sometimes results in road accidents. Before taking a trip in these weather conditions, make sure you have a suitable type of car insurance .
Driving tips during a storm
THE BORRASCA GLORIA
The bad weather with which the month of March welcomes us has a name: Gloria. The storm Gloria or the storm Gloria is responsible for the heavy rains that fall on the Peninsula and that will do so almost non-stop until next Friday.
Therefore, so that the storm does not catch you off guard, equip your car and your life to drive in the rain .
TEMPORARY GLORIA: WHAT TO BRING IN THE CAR TO DRIVE WITH SNOW IN THE COLD WAVE 2020
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Snow chains
The cold wave is leaving its mark in Spain and you may sometimes have to face driving with snow on the road. So that this does not catch you off guard, always carry your snow chains in the trunk.
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Winter tires
Surely you have some shoes suitable for winter and others that are for the summer season, the same thing happens with tires. The tires are the only point of contact of the vehicle with the road, so it is important that they are in perfect condition.
Ask your workshop for winter tires to be very well equipped in the Gloria storm.
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Fog lights and fog lights
In winter the hours of light are reduced and even more so in bad weather. The rains and snowfalls cover the sky with clouds, so that throughout the day there is a dim light that makes visibility difficult.
Rain and fog reduce visibility for the driver, so it’s important to use your headlights and fog lights – don’t forget about them!
TIPS FOR DRIVING IN RAIN OR FOG IN THE COLD WAVE OF TEMPORARY GLORIA
At DIRECT we want to give you some tips for driving in the rain and increasing safety on our roads.
- Slow down
In the rain, your tire grip is less, so the stopping distance is greater. In this situation, when driving in the rain, you should reduce the speed of your vehicle to drive more safely and achieve better grip on curves and slopes. In addition, it is advisable to avoid riding on horizontal white paint markings whenever possible, as adhesion is reduced. - Avoid crossing puddles or pools of water : whenever possible, avoid crossing over a puddle, since you do not know the depth of it. If there are more cars on the road, try to follow their path and if you drive alone, take extreme precautions. When the tire tread does not evacuate all the water in the road, your car may aquaplan. This effect causes your vehicle to slide on the water and can cause you to lose control of it.
- Check the windshield wipers and watch the temperature : to improve visibility, always check the wipers on your windshield so that when the rain is heavy you can see what is happening outside. In addition, in the event of downpours it is possible that the interior and exterior temperatures change rapidly and your windows may fog up. In this case, activate your climate control or air conditioning to cool the interior of the car and demist the windows.
- Let yourself be seen : in addition to maintaining an adequate safety distance, you must make yourself seen at all times. Turn on the low beams (never the high beams, as there would be flashes) and turn on the rear fog lights so that the vehicles following you can see you well in advance.
- Stay calm : even if there are traffic jams and traffic is not smooth , try to stay calm. Honking the horn or berating other drivers is not going to be helpful.