A car driving in city streets after heavy rain.
Driving in light rain is markedly different from driving in heavy rain.
Not only are the weather conditions different, but motorists also tend to creep along when there’s heavy rain.
In light rain, your wipers are easily able to deal with the amount of water on the windshield.
But in heavy rain, they simply can’t keep up with the deluge hitting your car.
A simple remedy would be to polish your glass with a water repellent product like Rain-X, so that water runs off easier.
However, that’s only a stopgap measure if the rain is extremely heavy.
According to the National Environment Agency, the next four days will see “thundery showers”.
In light of inclement weather, here are some important tips to consider if you need to drive out in the, uh, driving rain.
1. Wait under the weather improves. The most basic consideration is to ask yourself if you need to drive at that moment in time at all. Heavy rain usually implies bad traffic – a double whammy. If you’re not in a rush, stay indoors for a while till the worst has passed.
2. Check your tyres and wipers. Make a habit of checking your tyres and wipers for wear. These are the two things you don’t check that often, but it’s important they’re both kept in working condition when the weather changes for the worse.
3. Turn on your headlights. Turn on your headlights even if there’s plenty of light. Visibility is drastically reduced in heavy rain, so any light helps.
4. Do not turn on your hazard lights. Many drivers turn on their hazard lights in very heavy rain. This is not advisable. Doing so will confuse motorists into thinking something’s gone wrong on your car. If necessary, turn on your rear fog lights, whose symbol looks like this: 
5. Maintain a safe distance from the cars in front. There’s going to be plenty of standing water on the road. If you encounter one, your car might hydroplane, and it’s essential to stay some distance from the car in front so that you can brake safely and with sufficient distance.
