Safe Driving in the Rain

We need to drive differently in wet weather. It's more than just working wiper blades and reducing speed. We can make a difference as we share the same roads with others.

Here are some tips for driving in the rain:

• Remember the simple rule - wipers on and lights on
• Reduce speed
• Think ahead for where water hazards could be
• If can’t avoid standing water, try to do all your braking in a straight line before hitting it and comes off the brakes as you enter the puddle. Re apply brakes gently once all tyres are immersed in the water and keep your steering wheel as straight as you can.
• Never assume ABS will reduce braking distances in the wet, it won’t!
• Be prepared for oncoming heavy goods vehicles to shower you with spray; so put your wiper on high speed 2-3 seconds before they go past
• Think space, space, space !!! Never follow too close to the vehicle in front

As for the last point, always allow double the normal space that you would for a fine day. On normal days, it is recommended to use 2-second rule. On rainy days, use 4-second rule. I.e. count the number of seconds between you and the front vehicle passing a fixed object on the road.

Breaking Down in Vehicles

Have you experienced breaking down in a vehicle? I learnt that each year, hundreds of people lost their life or suffer serious injuries while working or stopped at the roadside or on the motorway hard shoulder due to vehicle breakdown.

This can be a very worrying experience and can be very dangerous. It is vital for all drivers and passengers to know what to do in the event of breakdown.

First, do not stand beside your vehicle on the road or in a parking area. Try to park your vehicle away from the main road, keep your vehicle locked and within eyesight. Walk away from your vehicle, don't position yourself where you can hit by passing vehicles, stay high attention on your vehicle, passengers, and on coming traffics.

If you have a flat tyre that you have to change, try not to do this at the road side. If possible use a second vehicle to block/protect yourself. Try to stop with the flat tyre facing the roadside. Post a lookout to warn you of approaching vehicles, put warning triangle in front and beside the site. Use Hi Vis jackets if possible.

Do not wait for help inside the vehicle. Get out of your car - it is dangerous to stay inside as you are at risk of being hit from the rear at highspeed by passing cars. Never try to cross lanes to the other side of the road as it is lethal. Women tend to wait inside the car for help, but statistic has confirmed that the chances of being hit inside the car is higher than getting attacked by someone outside the vehicle.

Hope this tips helps!

What You CANNOT Do While Driving and Why

Received this note from the safety advisor a couple of months ago, and thought of sharing with you guys:

Talking on the phone while driving is not the only thing you are not allowed to do when you are on the wheel. Read below from the BBC website to see why you should not be distracted with other activities while driving, related not only to the dangers of mobile phone use...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6309033.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4788910.stm

Parking Car on Slopes (Updated)

I would like to apologise for making a mistake in the previous post.

Actually, there are a slight difference between parking on a slope with car facing upwards or downwards.

If your car is parked facing downwards, steer the wheel to go TOWARDS the curbs.

If you car is parked facing upwards, steer the wheel to go AWAY of the curbs (i.e. towards traffics).

This is because in the case of upward facing, if the car slides down (i.e. reverses), the front wheel will meet the curbs first and stop the car. It takes longer for the rear wheel to reach the curb without hiting into the car behind you. That's the reason for the difference. I've confirmed with the safety driving experts in my office. Sorry for the mistake in my previous post.

Magnetic Hotel Key Cards

There was a circulation lately, that the hotel key cards contain guests' personal information including credit card details. In that circulation, it asks all hotel guests not to return the key cards, and destroy it at home.

Recently my office also received this circulation. After the security department researched further, it is confirmed that it is a hoax. You may want to read the detail here.

However, as pointed out in the site, though all major hotels do not practise encoding these sensitive information on the hotel key cards as it is not necessary, the point to ponder is:

IT IS TECHNICALLY POSSIBLE TO DO SO

Therefore, to reduce the risk, if I am not staying in major hotels, I would destroy the keys at home. What about you?

Parking Car on Slopes

NOTE: THERE IS A MISTAKE IN THIS TIPS, PLEASE VISIT HERE FOR AN UPDATE. THANKS.

I'm sure you've learnt about this from your driving instructor before you got your driving license.

This post serves as refresher to you, just in case you don't park on slopes often.

When you park your vehicle on slopes, whether your car is facing upward or downward, remember to steer your wheels to face towards the curb. This is to prevent your vehicle from rolling into traffics, if it does slide down.

Though this is a general knowledge and/or being taught by driving instructors, I always see vehicles (especially huge trucks) parked on slopes with their wheels/tyres straight or facing traffics.

I live in a city with a lot of slopes, and have encountered several cases where trucks run into parked vehicles and toward the traffics. Note: these trucks were without drivers, i.e. (supposingly) parked. One of my relative narrowly escaped being killed by one. In that same case, at least 7 vehicles smashed by that truck.

Teens and Trucks

In the recent web release by CarInsurance.com, an online insurance company where you can compare car insurance, it discussed about teens safe driving tips.

It is reported that GEICO has recently added "Teens and Trucks" to its online library for safe driving materials for teen drivers.

As a mother to 2, I am quite happy to see this. In fact, a good driving behaviour should be cultured since young, i.e. from the moment when one first learns to drive, usually at teenage.

In the GEICO's teen safe driving website, it shares with us a lot of useful tips and reminders. Though it is also relevant to everyone, it is particularly targetted at teenagers. Particularly on "Teens and Trucks", it gives valuable tips for highway driving around large trucks and buses. A very good reading material, for parents and teenagers.

Tips for Safe Winter Driving

One mistake we are likely to do in winter, is to defrost the winscreen with warm water. If you do that - stop! Don't use warm water to defrost your winscreen as this may crack the glass. Use an ice scraper instead.

Another tip worth noting on the road is:
If your car does start to skid, take you foot off the accelerator and steer into the skid..