April showers bring… hazardous driving conditions, which could lead to potentially deadly accidents if you are not properly prepared. Common sense tells you that the first thing you should do when you find yourself driving in the middle of a spring or summer storm is to slow down. However, there are a few other simple ways you can protect your precious cargo during the rainy season:
WINDSHIELD WIPERS
Equip your vehicle with a good set of wiper blades. When was the last time you replaced your car’s windshield wiper blades? Car care experts recommend they be changed at least twice a year or every 6,000 miles. This is a far cry from studies that show the average motorist changes his or her wiper blades just once every two or three years. Older wiper blades tend to be cracked or frayed and are not able to properly clear rain from the windshield. The rubber blade portion of the wiper is replaceable and the simple task can be done at home.
TIRES
You want your tires to give you ideal traction on rain-slick roads. Almost all tire manufacturers have at least one tire with wide center grooves and a tread pattern designed to remove water efficiently. If you have the means it is a good idea to invest in rain tires. Having good tires that can stop quickly on wet roads is essential and potentially life saving.
RAIN REPELLANT
I used to date a guy in college who swore by spray-on rain repellant. He never left home without a can (he even kept spares in the trunk of his car). After riding with him during a few bad thunderstorms, I must admit, the stuff works like magic. With a good rain repellant your view of the road ahead improves exponentially. You simply spray it on your windshield before driving and it provides an invisible film to repel rain from your window. The most popular brand is Rain-X, but there are many other brands that provide the same results.
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