Driving during downfalls can be dangerous, even for skilled drivers. When visibility is affected and the roads get wet and slippery, your vehicle can become difficult to control.

FBD Insurance have provided some top driving tips for tackling torrential rain safely this season.

Slow down

Reducing speed will also decrease your stopping distance. It will allow your car pass through puddles smoothly, without spraying pedestrians or other road users. Driving at a safe speed will help you avoid “aquaplaning” or water build-up under your tyres, so you maintain maximum traction and steering ability on the road.

Allow sufficient distance

Your stopping distance on a wet road can be more than on dry roads, so give yourself plenty of time to stop. At a minimum, you should follow the 4-second rule to allow safe distance from vehicles in front. Take particular care when driving behind trucks and lorries, as the spray from larger vehicles can be blinding to other drivers.

Maintain visibility

Good visibility is crucial for driving in poor weather. Use dipped headlights during the day so you are easily seen on the road. Fully functioning heating and air conditioning is also important during heavy rain, as you will need to demist your windows to prevent them from fogging-over.

Check your tyres

Make sure your tyres are in great condition and that they are perfectly inflated for good traction with the road. To maximise safety, a tread depth of at least 3mm on every wheel is best. When threads are worn there is nowhere for water to go and your car will effectively be “floating” on the rain.

Windscreen wipers

If your windscreen wiper blades don’t clear the glass in a single swipe, replace them. If they squeak or skip across the window as they wipe, it’s time to start considering a new pair.

Avoid cruise control

Cruise features work well in dry conditions, but when used in rain, the chances of losing control can rise. To prevent loss of traction, you may need to reduce the car’s speed by lifting off the accelerator rather than breaking. This cannot be accomplished when your cruise control is on.

Beware of skidding

Your goal should be to prevent a skid from ever happening, so that you never find yourself trying to recover from one. However, if you do feel your car beginning to skid, it’s important not to panic:

• Stay calm and grip the wheel with both hands.
• Continue to look and steer in the direction you want the car to go.
• Avoid further sudden braking or acceleration, which might worsen the skid.
• If breaking is what caused the skid, ease gently off the breaks and back onto the accelerator to correct it. If acceleration caused the skid, ease gently back off the accelerator.

Driving through water

Avoid driving through deep water by following the highest section of the road. After going through water, drive slowly with your foot on the brakes over a short distance to dry them off. If you can’t see where you’re going to emerge from the water, or the road is flooded, find another route.

Plan ahead

Watch weather reports and road conditions prior to a long-distance drive or before driving to isolated areas. Take your time and give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination safely.

If the conditions are too bad, don’t take the risk. Delay your trip or consider an alternative method of transport.

If you have no other option than to drive please ensure that your Car Insurance is in date. If you need a quote on Car Insurance why not consider FBD Insurance.

#AD. In the interest of disclosure and transparency, the syndication of this article has been provided and paid for by FBD Insurance.

A car is a piece of equipment that we use every day. It requires good maintenance to prolong its useful life. It is the same as when the car is in production including the car parts. The manufacturers take great care when using things like industrial heating to ensure perfect conditions for the making of the car. When it comes to maintenance, to be committed is an understatement because proper maintenance does not only make your car’s life extended, but it will also assure you that your car is in the right condition to be driven.

To make sure that your car will always run smooth, you need to maintain your vehicle in the best possible way. There are parts that need more attention than others, like how replacing the wiper blades is a more common phenomenon. Some can be downright hard to find so it’s a good idea to have a place where you get the motor supplies to need when you’re ready to replace them. Car owners are also expected to take good care of their tires and make it a habit to check the tire rotations, the air pressure, and alignment adjustments.

One of the most annoying parts in cleaning and maintaining your car is the maintenance of the alloy wheel. Even if you pride yourself as a careful driver, there would always be the time you’ll have to scrub grimes away from your alloy wheels. This step is a must, especially if you want to make your car look like it left the store just a few days ago. Unfortunately, there will always be a time when cleaning the alloy wheel will not do the trick anymore and you have to replace it.

There’s a lot of things to consider when buying a car part in the market. Would you buy the part that you need online? Would you consult a dealership service first? Or would you go into the more adventurous route and bet on alloy wheels found in the junkyard? All choices have pros and cons and your decision will likely be based in the situation you have.

BUYING ALLOY WHEELS FROM A DEALERSHIP

When it comes to buying new car parts, there is nothing that can beat buying in a dealership. There are pros and cons in this route, and it will all be listed down below.

The Pros

1. All new, quality assured parts.

When shopping for the best and high-quality car parts, you can count on dealers to have your desired alloy wheel. Because of their reputation to hold, they will only give you the best parts. They will even give their best to find your part if it is kind of rare.

2. Dealerships will take care about the fitting and other things.

When you go to dealerships for help, they will likely get all the folds ironed out for you. They will take care of fitting the alloy wheel and gets the paperwork done.

The Cons

1. You’ll have to pay gold for their products and services.

Quality products and services will cost you a lot. Be sure that you have a lot of savings when you ought for a dealership’s help.

2. The waiting game.

Based on the kind of alloy wheel needed for your car, you might need to wait for your product to arrive because there’s a big chance that what you’re looking for is not in the inventory.

BUYING ALLOY WHEELS FROM JUNKYARDS

If you have patience and luck by your side, you’ll likely have a good chance of finding a good deal on junkyards. There’s a lot of junk yards in Utah, Texas, and other states. You can successfully find one in each state if you look hard. Here are the pros and cons of buying used parts from salvage yards.

The Pros

1. Cheaper price

Just like with any other parts, buying in salvage yards will give you huge savings compared to buying parts in dealership shops. This option will truly turn the table when you need repairs on other parts of your car.

2. Availability

You don’t have to wait for parts to get to you before having your car fixed. The part is right in the junkyard. You only have to take patience and the right tools with you.

3. Chance for getting cheap spare tires and other good stuff

This one will be a good deal if you have a lot of cars. When you’re finished getting the alloy wheel you want, maybe you can also get that nice alternator, or maybe that mirror that still works fine.

4. Recycling is good for the environment

Just like in computers, recycling car parts will help the environment.

The Cons

1. It requires a lot of effort

Buying a used part from a junkyard is a win-win situation. You will save a lot, the junkyard will have income, etc. The only catch for this is that you will need to put a lot of effort and time to find your perfect part. Depending on your time frame and the rarity of the part you’re looking for, you might spend a lot of time for a repair.