Rob Handfield-Jones, MD of driving skills company, driving.co.za, has commented that Gauteng’s motorists should take extra care driving in the upcoming rainy season.
“Gauteng hasn’t had rain for several months,” Handfield – Jones commented. “This has been good for traction, because it has meant that rubber transferred to the roads as a result of tyre wear during the dry spell hasn’t been washed off. However, it also means that
the roads have had a lot more time to absorb contaminants like oil, grease and diesel from traffic.” He predicted that this would result in a triple whammy for motorists when the rains came.“Gauteng hasn’t had rain for several months,” Handfield – Jones commented. “This has been good for traction, because it has meant that rubber transferred to the roads as a result of tyre wear during the dry spell hasn’t been washed off. However, it also means that
“Firstly the roads will be slick with oil floating to the surface, secondly the grippy layer of rubber will be washed away, and thirdly, stopping distances on wet roads are routinely double what they are on dry roads anyway,” he explained. “Over the past few months, motorists have been enjoying some of the best traction available on Gauteng’s roads for probably more than a decade, and the likely poor grip after the first rains may come as a shock to many drivers,” he commented.
Handfield-Jones advised motorists to prepare themselves with a few simple steps. “If you can’t see, you can’t avoid. So check that your windscreen wiper blades are in tip-top condition, and top up the windscreen washer bottle,” he said. “Also, check that your tyres are correctly inflated and have sufficient tread depth to disperse water on wet roads,” he added.
“And finally,” he added, “remember to to use moderate speeds when cornering and keep enough following distance to allow for your reaction time and swerving or stopping distance.” He said that under ideal conditions drivers should keep a two to three second minimum gap, but in rainy weather, they should keep a minimum of four to six seconds.
“I expect the roads to be unusually slippery during the 2010/2011 summer rainy season in Gauteng,” said Handfield – Jones. “Motorists will need to take far greater care than normal,” he concluded.
STORY AND IMAGE COURTESY OF DRIVING.CO.ZA
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