The intense frontal system that we know and the poor condition of the streets have flooded several roads in central and southern Chile. Therefore, at MT we give you some tips on how to drive and take care of your vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
This year, winter has arrived the old fashioned way, with a large bad weather front and intense rains, which are wreaking havoc in the center and south of the country, recording countless power cuts and flooding of streets. , which affect the daily lives of citizens.
The overflow of the Santa Marta canal in Maipú, for example, caused a large amount of waste dumped to slide into the sector, causing traffic problems on the Camino a Melipilla avenue. Similarly, the increase in the channel of the Marga Marga estuary has endangered vehicles parked nearby.
For this reason, and given that the precipitation will continue at least until Saturday morning -even with possible electrical storms in 10 regions of the country, according to the Meteorological Directorate-, it is essential to exercise extreme caution. when driving in these conditions.
“On a rainy day and low cloud cover, speeding, lack of vehicle maintenance and pedestrian negligence are the main causes of road accidents, so it is recommended to be even more attentive to the traffic warning signs and the behavior of other drivers, with a defensive driving attitude,” warns Pablo Díaz, commercial director of Blackay Chile, a company that specializes in driving assistance systems.
When the pavement is wet, the risk of accidents is considerably increased, since the mixture of water, dust and oil found on the street tends to make the ground more slippery than normal.
Now, with torrential downpours like the ones we are experiencing, our cars are not only prone to accident damage, but also by floods. And it is that although they are prepared to keep their occupants isolated from the rain, most of their mechanical components are exposed to it, so exceeding a certain level of water can cause problems.
Well, what can we do in these cases. In most cases the cars continue to move forward and the water level stays at flood level, however, there are times when it is impossible to move forward and the water begins to rise, our first recommendation is to try and change direction, i.e., if the opposite direction to where you are going is free and you can safely make a change, it is better to return to your starting point and wait safely, than to be stopped in traffic as the water level rises.
If this is not possible and the water level rises without you being able to move your car, it is recommended to turn it off This will prevent water from entering the engine through the air intakes. In this case, it is also necessary not only to turn off the car, but also you have to get out and save yourself . How long does it take for a car to sink in water?
“Whenever we are forced to face a flooded place, we must enter at low speed, protecting safety above all. It is advisable to drive on known routes, since, if it is an unusual place, we will not be sure of the state of the road where we are driving, for which it is advisable to avoid traveling . Once in this state, we must maintain a low and constant speed, always protecting our safety and that of those around us”, adds William Marchant, professor at the Duoc UC School of Engineering and Natural Resources.
Now, if the car stayed where you left it, but the water level rose above half the height of the tires for example, wait until the water level drops and call your insurance before trying to start the car, it is very likely that even if it was off, water will enter the engine or the exhaust and it is necessary to inform the insurance so that it can come and assess if there is a possible risk of breakdown or detect if your car has suffered damage and they will hold them responsible
In this regard, Marchant adds: “we must inspect the vehicle superficially, check that there is no structural damage, as well as consult a qualified professional if necessary and check the intake air filter, that it does not ‘ has no moisture and replace it if necessary . Because if we go into a very deep place and liquid (water) enters our engine, we will cause irreparable damage to it, because the water is ‘ incompressible”.
Finally, to avoid these bad times, we leave you below 10 tips that will help prevent an accident on rainy days :
1. Decrease the usual speed: the conditions of the asphalt with the rain change resoundingly, becoming much soapier the ground. For this reason, we recommend that you reduce the usual speed at which you travel, especially on fast roads such as motorways and freeways.
2. Increase the distance between vehicles: It is essential that you use this measure, because there is less grip with the pavement when braking, so it is better to keep a distance of two cars to avoid any type of inconvenience.
3. Braking technique : brake gently and with short pressures on the pedal, in order to dry the moisture from the pads and not to block the steering.
4. Tires with the corresponding pressure: check the condition of these elements, remembering that the minimum limit of the depth of the grooves is 1.6 mm, a figure visible on the tread.
5. Remember the use of markers: Although this is something that should be normal, it is extremely important in these types of conditions to always alert with the turn signals before changing lanes or turning a corner.
6. Plan your schedules: with the rain the timings are different, because you have to walk at a slower speed and maybe the traffic tends to get denser, so we recommend that you leave early and allow more time to avoid traffic jams. ‘arrive late.
7. Lights in good condition: Although it is mandatory to have all the lights in good condition, we remind you that you must check them before leaving, as it is extremely important that you are seen by other drivers.
8. Check windows and windshield: another fundamental element, since if there is dirt on the wipers when activating the windshield, you will not have a visual of the street.
9. Avoid sudden maneuvers: It is advisable to drive calmly, avoiding sudden braking or changes of direction, as drivers will not have the same reaction speed.
10. Avoid bumpy tracks: If you know several routes to get to your destination, we advise you to take the one with the fewest potholes. If not, we recommend driving carefully, trying not to puncture the tire or destroy the rim.
Source: Latercera
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
