Driving In The
Rain Increases Chances Of An Accident
The start of the rainy season means it is a
time for a complete check of your vehicle -
tires, lights, brakes, windshield wipers and
defoggers - and a change in driving habits.
May, for many drivers, is worse that the
heavy downpours of September and October,
when driving in the rain is something new,
something forgot from months past.
Huanelge Gutiérrez, subdirector of the
Policía de Tránsito, says that between 2pm
and 6pm, his officials normally respond to
an average of 60 accidents, but, when it is
raining, the numbers more than double, from
60 to 80 accidents in the same time period.
One of the main problems of driving in the
rain is reduced visibility.
Experts say that visibility in the rain
drops by 30% or more, depending on the
intensity of the rain. Faulty windshield
wipers and fogging of the front, rear and
side windows adds to poor visibility and
increases the risk of a collision. Slick
tires and work brakes makes stopping even
worse on wet roads.
The Policía de Tránsito reports that some of
the worst roads in the rain are ruta 32 (carretera
a Limón), the Cerro de la Muerte on the
Interamerican Sur, the cruce de Manolo’s in
Alajuela (the bridge to Jaco and Quepos,
near the Recope tanks) and the Agencia
Datsun (Nissan dealership), in La Sabana.
Other dangerous roads during the rainy
season are the Circunvalación, San Pedro and
the autopista Florencio del Castillo (road
to Cartago0.
The director of the a Policía de Tránsito,
Germán Marín, recommends it is best, if one
can, waiting out a heavy downpour.
But, if you must drive in the rain, some
good advice is to slllooowwww down, watch
your distance from the vehicle ahead of
you,turn on your headlights to ensure you
can be seen, avoid applying the brakes
suddenly and never, ever, drive into or over
puddles.
And, even if you don't need to, change your
windshield wipers. |
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