Wiper Blades

According to a UK research, in 2016 1 out of 9 in all road deaths was caused due to poor weather conditions, specifically due to not slowing down on wet roads.

Wet roads and driving in the rain can be extremely dangerous even for the most skilled driver. Due to the reduced visibility and the risk of hydroplaning it is crucial that every driver knows what they should do when driving in the rain, what the most common issues they might face are and how to handle and prevent them. 

Car Maintenance for Rainy Weather

If you find yourself stuck driving in heavy rain with a car issue that needs to be checked, you should never be caught unprepared. Proper car maintenance is vital to make sure your vehicle is safe to travel on less then optimal weather. Before leaving, you should always make sure your car is in perfect shape and ready to face the wet roads. 

Whilst you’re on the road, if your car stops or breaks down for an unknown reason and needs to be checked immediately, you should always have the location of a trusted service centre. Knowing where to go for help in case of a car malfunction can provide a peace of mind when travelling and quick assistance. 

Key issues when driving in the rain

To ensure safety when driving in the rain, it is important to know the most common issues you might face in stormy weather. The weather can change from bright sunshine to rain in a matter of seconds, so it's best to be prepared. 

Generally, when driving in the rain, the main issues are compromised visibility and wet, slippery roads. These key factors could ultimately lead to an accident, as all other drivers will be faced with the same challenges. Therefore, the most important thing to do when driving in the rain is to be careful when driving in rain and to stop if deemed necessary.

Checking Wiper Blades

Your most trusted companion when driving in heavy rain is undoubtedly your wiper blades. These are essential for ensuring you can see the full extent of the road, even during a downpour, which is why they should always be checked if you are expecting rain. 

Common problems with wiper blades include them not moving properly due to a failed wiper motor, which can impair your visibility. It is advisable to always check that the fluid is correctly spraying from the nozzles, as wiper blade fluid can sometimes get stuck due to clogged nozzles or can simply be missing due to an empty reservoir. Wiper blades can also become torn or deteriorated due to poor car maintenance or simply over time; in this case, you will notice smearing or shuttering blades. Regularly inspecting and maintaining your wiper blades is crucial for safe driving in rainy conditions. In general, it’s advisable to change wiper blades every 6-12 months.

Inspecting Brake System

Bad weather conditions can impact the brake system in ways that might damage your vehicle and put you at risk. For example, moisture from driving in the rain can enter the brake system, specifically the area between the brake rotors and pads, which, if not removed promptly, could lead to rusting. 

Moisture can cause several more issues; when driving on wet roads, moisture and rust can prevent you from braking quickly by reducing the friction between brake pads and rotors. This issue could result in not being able to stop when necessary, making your vehicle a danger to you and the rest of the road users. Proper maintenance and preventive measures are essential to ensure your brake system remains effective in all weather conditions.

Essential Tips for Driving in Rain

There is no “how to drive in heavy rain guide”, however being prepared for wet weather conditions is essential, especially in the UK, where it rains 133 days out of 365. When you find yourself driving in rain or during a heavy storm, you should always adjust your speed. In harsh weather conditions, it is very easy to lose control, even for the most experienced driver. Driving slower will reduce your chances of swerving outside your lane and help maintain control. 

As mentioned above, humidity can damage brakes and reduce their effectiveness, which is why, especially in the rain, you should always leave more space between your car and the vehicle in front of you to allow for longer braking distances. 

Finally, the most important advice of all is to regulate your speed and stop if you are driving under very heavy rain that is making it unsafe for you to continue.

Fogged windows, snow, dirty headlights, flooded roads: there are many problems that we might be faced with while driving our car. Knowing how to behave under certain conditions, what tricks and stratagems to use, even knowing some interesting facts on cars, can often really make a difference.

So, here are tricks, interesting facts on cars and some clever and little-known tips to help minimise stress, reduce expenses and make your driving experience more enjoyable.

CONTENTS

 Interesting facts on cars: snow and ice: what to do?

Interesting facts on cars: floods, how do you deal with them?

Little-known tips: dishwashing liquid on car windows…

... and toothpaste on headlights!

Interesting facts on cars: how to remove scratches or cracks on the windscreen by yourself

Tricks and fun facts on cars that perhaps you did not know

Interesting facts on cars that every true motorist should know: snow and ice: what to do?

Hail, rain, wind and snow can be dangerous even for the most experienced motorist: you need to know how to deal with these pitfalls, to avert the risk of problems and potential accidents.

The first step is undoubtedly to check the condition of the brakes and electrical system, but there is another little trick to preserve the functionality of windscreen wipers: just keep them lifted when the car is parked, so as to prevent snow or ice from accumulating on them, thereby freezing and hardening the rubber. It would also be advisable to avoid operating the windscreen wipers if covered with snow before cleaning them well. The spray nozzles should also be adjusted.

Plus, if the temperature drops below freezing, it is advisable to use antifreeze to prevent the water used to clean the windshield, contained in tubes and pans, from freezing.

A little fun fact about the world of cars to keep well in mind in these cases: it is useful to always park the car with the front facing east, so that as the sun rises, it heats the car windshield and the snow melts sooner.

Finally, there are invaluable accessories that every driver should always have in the car, for example: thermal gloves to fit snow chains on, a scraper to remove ice from the windscreen, a small shovel to free the road from snowdrifts, if needed.

Interesting facts on cars: floods, how do you deal with them?

When speaking of interesting facts about cars, climate change plays an important role: in recent years, it has caused increasingly significant meteorological instability, especially when it comes to rain. The risk of floods, especially in certain places, has become increasingly tangible. While driving, it is therefore essential in these cases to put into practice some small precautions for our own safety and that of those travelling with us.

First of all, if the road is submerged by water, the first thing to do is to turn back. If that’s not possible, you must stop the car and go somewhere safe.

It is also important to keep the car radio always tuned into traffic information, avoid bridges and underpasses, slow down and avoid sudden braking and aquaplaning phenomena. If the water level should rise even more, it is useful to unlock the doors and open the windows, so that you can get out of the car easily if necessary.

Having a fogged windscreen can also be very dangerous, because it prevents you from seeing the road clearly. For this “annoyance”, there is a very simple trick: just fill an old sock with plenty of clean cat litter (yes, you got that right!) and tie it with a knot; then place the bundle into another sock, and tie that one too. Now, place the sock on the dashboard, where it does not get in the way while you are driving, and the windscreen will no longer mist over.

Dishwashing liquid on car windows…

 One of the little-known tips is this: dishwashing liquid is very useful for softening and removing the dirt caked on the windows and windshield. Well, yes: just wipe it where necessary with a cloth and warm water, rinse and apply the normal anti-halo products.

 ... and toothpaste on headlights!

 Furthermore, if you do not have specific products available and your headlights are particularly dirty (especially due to fat deposits and flies), you can safely clean them with affordable toothpaste. How? By applying it on the surface with a soft brush, leaving it on for a few minutes and then rinsing with plenty of water.

Interesting facts on cars: how to remove scratches or cracks on the windscreen by yourself

If you notice a crack in the windshield, it should be repaired before it gets bigger: even a blow or a pothole might shatter the glass completely. The advice is obviously to contact an expert  but if the crack is tiny there are two small do-it-yourself tricks: if the scratch is small and thin, you can use toothpaste (again!) to remove or at least dab the scratch;

however, if the scratch is a bit bigger, you can use transparent nail enamel: after cleaning the windscreen and allowing it to dry, just apply the nail enamel along the crack. Once dry, take a bit of fine sandpaper and polish any excess.

Tricks and fun facts on cars that perhaps you did not know

 One particularly useful trick among interesting facts about the car world concerns deodorising the passenger compartment: if you do not wish to use the classic air fresheners, which are often too heady and sometimes even irritating, just place scented wipes in the air conditioning nozzles before turning it on.

A fresh scent will waft through your car in minutes. One last, particularly interesting fact about cars: in the event of extreme cold, a car left outdoors at night is likely to be covered in a thin layer of ice in the morning.

This becomes a problem if the ice blocks doors and the remote controlled central locking mechanism: a far from unlikely occurrence below a given temperature. A solution would be to unlock the doors by inserting the key, but this operation might be difficult, if the mechanism has frozen as well. In these cases, there is a simple trick: spray some alcohol or disinfectant into the lock and on the key. Alcohol – which is also contained in disinfecting sprays and gels – has the ability of melting ice within seconds.

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