By Wayne Smolda, CEO and Founder

Rain poses a whole host of problems for drivers, but chief among them is reduced visibility. Pooled water, flooding, hydroplaning, reduced braking power – these are all rain-induced challenges too, but without clear vision these hazards are even more dangerous. So what’s the deal with rain, and what can you do to improve and/or cope with wet weather vision?

Rain scatters light
Raindrops scatter light as it passes through them, making everything appear darker than normal. That’s on top of the fact that when it rains, the sky actually is darker, so everything is that much harder to see. The reduced light also diminishes a driver’s ability to see the contrast between different-colored objects, like the roadway and a car or a pedestrian.

Dim light also affects how the brain judges distance. Light from objects far away scatters as it passes through air molecules, making the objects appear hazy. When objects that are close-up are obscured because of the rain, they seem further away than they really are because your mind associates hazy images with long distances.

Then there’s the dreaded Mandelbaum Effect, a feature of the way the brain processes visual inputs. When visibility is poor, scientists say, people naturally focus on objects within three feet of them. That includes things like your dashboard and rear-view mirror, but, sadly, not what’s on the road. The reduction in longer-range awareness also affects your peripheral vision, which is critical to detecting objects – vehicles, pedestrians – that may be coming at you from the side.

A silver lining in the clouds
When the roadway is wet, you can see the reflection of brake lights two cars ahead of you from under the car you’re directly behind. Watching for this will give you a few extra seconds to react to people stopping up ahead. And, if you can’t see that reflection you’re too close to the car in front of you.

Other than that, there’s not much in your favor if you’re caught in the rain, but here are some ways to make your drive a little easier:

Keep it clean
Your windshield, that is, both inside and out. Fewer smudges mean less light scattering before it reaches your eyes. Also, replace your windshield wipers if they’re getting old or leaving heavy streaks. The fewer things obscuring your windshield, the better.

Shed some light on the subject…
Dedicated daytime running lights only illuminate what’s right in front of the vehicle, so you need to use your headlights to see as far ahead as possible. What’s more, in an increasing number of places the law requires drivers to turn on their headlights any time the windshield wipers are in use.

… but don’t overdo it
High beams are counter-productive in rain. Instead of helping you see farther ahead, rain will reflect more high-beam light back into your eyes, making it harder to see anything. Don’t use your four-way, or hazard lights to let people know you’re driving slowly. Use them only if you’re stalled or stopped on the side of the road. Other drivers won’t see your brake lights as easily, and if they think there’s a disabled vehicle ahead they may swerve or stop short, potentially causing a wreck.

Take it slow
Despite how the guy behind you may feel about it, the best thing in the rain is to reduce your speed. Going a little slower lets you to pay more attention to your surroundings and give you more time to stop instead of having to brake hard, risking a skid or hydroplaning. And in a downpour – when the rain is falling faster than your windshield wipers can clear it – your best bet is to pull off the road to a safe place and wait it out.

By Wayne Smolda, CEO and Founder

Studies show that, hour-for-hour, more accidents occur when it’s raining than when skies are clear. In fact, some studies say accident rates double in the rain, and that traffic fatalities are 40 percent higher than when roads are dry.

There are two reasons: rainwater mixes with oil that passing traffic sprinkles onto the road surface, creating a super-slippery coating; and puddles that cause tires to float just above the pavement. That rain-oil mix is most dangerous when it first starts to rain, because there hasn’t been enough rainfall to dilute and wash it away. It’s even more of a hazard after a long dry spell, because there’s more oil on the road. So, if you live in a dry climate, you need to be extra-cautious driving in the rain.

Make sure that when it rains, you follow these steps to keep yourself safe:

• Slow down.
• Put more distance between you and other vehicles.
• Use your headlights so other drivers see you better.
• Be less aggressive when passing, turning and braking.
• Keep your windshield fog-free.

Reminder: Make sure your tires are properly inflated in the warm weather, as blowouts are more common in extreme heat and cold.

By Wayne Smolda, CEO and Founder

Knowing when to use your headlights is as obvious as the difference between night and day, right. Not necessarily.

Headlights really have two purposes. One is to see where you’re going. The other is so every other person sharing the road – other vehicles and pedestrians – knows where you are. So other than at night, when you should you turn on your headlights?

The short answer is any time somebody might have trouble seeing your vehicle. To make the decision a non-issue, some manufacturers equip their vehicles with daytime running lights that are always on. But if that’s not the way your vehicle works, here are some guidelines to help you make your own decisions:

Twilight hours. The half-hour before dawn and after sundown are the most difficult times for drivers to see details and judge distances. Your headlights are a good antidote.

In the rain. Many states require you to turn your headlights on any time your windshield wipers are working. Whatever the law is where you live, it’s harder to see in the rain. Best to turn the headlights on when the skies darken enough without a drop falling.

In fog. Fog lights can really help, but if you don’t have them, use your headlight low beams. High beams will make your presence easier to detect, but make it harder for you to see the road ahead.

In traffic jams. Here the advantage is in protection from the rear. Headlights on means the tail lights are on, too, and that can help the driver behind you be alert to how close he or she is to you. And if you’re approaching a jam ahead, a great idea is to switch on your four-way flashers to signal that you’re slowing down a lot.

In the brightest sunshine. This may seem nonsensical, but here’s the reason: Bright sunlight can cause blinding reflections in drivers’ eyes, from other cars and reflections off their dashboards back onto their windshield glass. Headlights can help cut through that glare so that others can see you.