Driving safely in the rain
Wet roads are one of the most common hazards a driver meets, and your tyres are the only part of the car that touches the road. Here is how to get ready for the rain, how to drive in it, and what to do if a tyre fails.
Why rain changes everything
On a wet road your tyres have to push water out of the way to keep hold of the surface. Grip falls, and the Highway Code warns that stopping distances in wet weather will be at least double those on a dry road.
When a tyre cannot clear the water fast enough, it can ride up on a film of water and lose contact with the road. This is called aquaplaning, and it is more likely at higher speeds, on worn tyres and in standing water.
In the wet, allow at least double the stopping distance.
Check your tyres before the weather turns
- Tread depth
- The legal minimum is 1.6 mm, but wet grip drops as tread wears, so many tyre safety organisations advise replacing tyres before they reach it, for example at around 3 mm. The tread grooves are what carry the water away.
- Pressure
- Under- or over-inflated tyres grip less well and wear unevenly. Check every tyre monthly, including the spare. See our tyre pressure guide.
- Damage and age
- Look for cuts, bulges and cracking. If a tyre looks worn out or damaged, have it checked.
- Wet grip grade
- When you buy new tyres, the tyre label grades wet grip from A (best) downwards. Each grade is worth roughly 3 metres of braking distance at 50mph. See tyre labelling explained.
On the road
- Slow down and leave a bigger gap. It takes much longer to stop in the wet.
- Be smooth. Brake, steer and accelerate gently, so the tyres are not asked for more grip than the road can give.
- Use dipped headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, so others can see you.
- Avoid standing water where you can. If you must go through it, go slowly.
- If you start to aquaplane, ease off the accelerator, hold the steering straight, and do not brake hard or swerve. The tyres regain grip as you slow.
- After deep water, test your brakes gently once you are through.
A puncture or blowout in the rain
Hold the steering firmly, ease off the accelerator and brake gently. Pull over somewhere safe, switch on your hazard lights and stay away from moving traffic, especially on a motorway.
Then call us. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and in an emergency we aim to be with you within 30 to 60 minutes, and we tell you the arrival time for your location when you call. We fit the tyre where you are, so you do not have to change a wheel in the rain.