At this time of year, heavy rain and the risk of potential flooding is a common occurrence across roads. Breakdowns in the wet and damp weather also increase so to ensure that your business keeps running as expected it’s key to ensure that the vehicles used by your business and their drivers are prepared for all weather conditions
Vehicle checks
Most fleets are kept in good condition all year around but some extra checks before travelling in wet weather can go a long way
• Windscreen Wipers – ensure wiper blades are maintained and working efficiently to keep your windscreen clear of water and maintain visibility
• Lights – In wet weather are key to your visibility and other road user’s visibility of you so check they are all in working order
• Tyres – stopping distances increase in wet weather so it’s essential to ensure that all vehicles have the recommended tyre tread depth to maximise grip
Driving
As a driver of a fleet vehicle, it may not always be possible to delay a journey due to the weather but adjusting the way you drive in wet weather can be of benefit
• Stopping distances – can be doubled in wet weather so slow down and leave a greater distance between yourself and the vehicle in front
• Look out for standing water – this can often be difficult to see especially in poor and dark conditions – driving too fast through water can lead to extensive and expensive damage to repair as well as the risk of aquaplaning if you lose grip with the road.
• Keep up to date with local news reports about weather forecasts, road closures and flooding and adjust your route accordingly if needed
• Use your headlights appropriately, fog lights can be dazzling to other road users so use only if necessary
• Be careful when driving through puddles – some can be deeper than initially thought meaning you risk getting stranded or flooding your vehicle so approach cautiously
Wet and flood conditions can be amongst some of the most difficult to drive in so please drive carefully. If you are unfortunate enough to suffer an incident, your dedicated claims handlers are on call to assist. You can contact our claims department on 020 8290 9085. Alternatively, you can notify us of a new claim by going to https://anthonyjones.com/claims/make-a-claim/ where you can complete an online form and upload any relevant photos taken at the scene.
