Tire Safety & Florida's Rainy Season

It’s that time of year again here in South Florida – our Rainy Season. Locals know that the rainy season normally begins the end of May and can run-through October. And it’s wet.

All this rainy weather means driving conditions can become dangerous pretty quickly. Over the course of the dry season or dry weather periods, our roadway surfaces can become treacherous for driving, as engine and oil fluids build and can float on top of rainwater.

When water creates a barrier between your tires and the roadway, you can quickly loose traction and even hydroplane. It’s imperative that your tires are ready.

According to AAA, wet pavement contributes to nearly 1.2 million traffic crashes each year.

Some Tips to Help Prevent an Accidents:

• Overall Car Inspection: Check your vehicle to ensure that everything is in working order – brake lights, headlights, windshield wipers, etc. Do you have enough gas and do you have a complete emergency roadside kit?
• Pay Attention: When driving in wet-weather conditions, it is important to concentrate fully on every aspect of driving. This means no cell phone usage, texting, cruise control, etc.
  * Inspect Tires: A good rule of thumb is to inspect your tires every time you fill-up for gas.
• Worn Tires & Tread Depth: Your tires should have more than 2/32-inch tread depth. A quick easy way to test your tread depth is to insert a penny into each grove with Lincoln’s head upside down. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head it’s time for new tires.
• Tire Inflation: The vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations for tire pressure can be found on a label affixed to the driver’s door or door jamb, or in the vehicle owner’s manual. It recommended that you test your tire inflation monthly.
• Tire Rotation: Have your tires rotated at least every 6,000 – 7,000 miles. This will aid in detecting alignment problems and help prevent irregular wear.
• Slow Down & Leave Room: Drivers should not only adhere to the posted speed limit when driving in wet weather conditions, they should drive considerably slower than they normally would. Motorists also need to allow ample stopping distance between cars by increasing the following distance of the vehicle in front of them.
• Follow the Law: Florida law requires drivers to turn on their vehicles’ lights while driving in rain. It is illegal to use your flashers or hazards. Hazard lights are only for stopped vehicles only or for use in emergency situations.
• Watch Out for Standing Water: Driving through standing water can cause your car to hydroplane, or skid across the surface of the road. Drive around places where water has collected by changing lanes or safely steering around such areas.