The weather forecast is predicting heavy rainstorms over the next few days. If you must get out on the road, below are some tips for driving in the rain that could help keep you and your family safe.

• Ensure all vehicle lighting and signal equipment are properly functioning so other drivers can see you while driving in the rain. Turn on your headlights whenever you drive.
• Proper tire tread depth and inflation are very important in order to maintain good traction on wet roadways. Check each tire’s pressure, including the spare, at least once a month… and be sure to check the pressure when the tires are cold.
• Avoid using cruise control when driving in the rain. This feature works great in dry conditions, but when used in wet conditions, the chance of losing control of the vehicle can increase.
• To prevent loss of traction, reduce the car’s speed by lifting off the accelerator, which cannot be accomplished when cruise control is engaged.
• When driving in wet-weather conditions, it is important to concentrate fully on every aspect of driving. Avoiding cruise control will allow the driver more options to choose from when responding to a potential loss-of-traction situation, thus maximizing your safety.
• Slowing down during wet weather driving can be critical to reducing a car’s chance of hydroplaning.
• Drivers should reduce their speed to correspond to the amount of water on the roadway. At speeds as low as 35 mph, new tires can still lose some contact with the roadway.
• To reduce the chances of hydroplaning, drivers should slow down, avoid hard braking or turning sharply and drive in the tracks of the vehicle ahead of you. Also, it’s important for motorists to allow ample stopping distance between cars by increasing the following distance of the vehicle in front of them and beginning to slow down to stop for intersections, turns, and other traffic early.
• If you feel the car begin to skid, continue to look and steer in the direction you want the car to go. Don’t panic and avoid slamming on the brakes to maintain control.
• Overall you want to be extra cautious in wet weather. Slow down, avoid hard braking or turning sharply and allow ample stopping distance between you and the cars in front of you. Also, do these things one at a time. Brake, then turn, then accelerate.