Prepare for Bad Weather: How to Drive in Rain, Fog, or Ice on the Road

When the rain arrives, it seems to lash much of our country. However, rain often doesn't come alone, as adverse weather conditions such as fog, wind, or snow also appear depending on the region. Therefore, during winter in general, but especially during these times with storms and tempests, it is crucial to check the traffic conditions and road incidents, as well as possible weather warnings, before setting off on a journey.

Once behind the wheel, the DGT warns of the problems and necessary precautions to reduce the risk of driving in snow, ice, wind, rain, or fog.

For instance, fog can become the worst enemy of visibility while driving: a sudden fog bank can drastically reduce the driver's vision to just a few meters ahead of the car's front. If the temperature is low, ice may form on the road. Fog also affects grip, as it moistens the asphalt, making the road more slippery.

Thus, on the road, use the appropriate lighting for the fog's intensity: always turn on the low beam (and the front fog light if your vehicle has one) and the rear fog light if the fog is very dense. Adjust your speed to the visibility at each moment on the road, ensuring you can always stop your vehicle within your field of vision and avoid a collision. Whenever you need to press the brake pedal, do so early and gently. Also, follow the edge lines to keep your vehicle within the lane and always drive in the right lane, even if there are multiple lanes in each direction.

Lastly, pay close attention to the possible presence of the most vulnerable and less visible road users, such as motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, and pedestrians.

Secondly, although less frequent, snow and ice are equally dangerous phenomena for road safety that can surprise the driver during the journey, hinder traffic, and drastically reduce - or even nullify - the tyres' grip on the road surface.

Therefore, in the presence of snow, turn on the dipped headlights, reduce speed, and increase the safety distance, drive in the tracks of other vehicles, and avoid abrupt steering; start the car by gently releasing the clutch pedal; with an automatic transmission, the pressure on the accelerator should be minimal; and use the highest gear possible to avoid skidding on the road.

Ice is almost impossible to detect while driving, so the tyres' grip on frozen asphalt is null, making the vehicle's behaviour unpredictable and uncontrollable during a slide. Above all, try to avoid surfaces that you anticipate may be icy: ice usually appears in shaded areas, sheltered spots, with high humidity, or facing north. Take special care at nightfall, as ice patches can form anywhere on the road where water runs during the day. If it starts to snow or you anticipate the presence of ice, be alert, monitor if the external temperature drops below 3ºC, and reduce speed.

Finally, if the vehicle starts to slide, reduce speed and keep it as low as possible, try to maintain the trajectory, do not press the brake pedal at any time, and avoid abrupt steering.

Rain is the most frequent atmospheric phenomenon and causes the most problems for traffic: with wet asphalt, tyre grip decreases, and braking distances increase. When it starts to rain, the first drops can make it very slippery. Excess water on the windshield, fogged windows, and splashes from other vehicles reduce visibility. Accumulated water can cause the vehicle to skid.

Reduce speed, maintaining the appropriate safety distance with other vehicles; ensure the good condition and functioning of the lights, windshield wipers, heating, and rear window defroster. Drive with the dipped headlights on. Additionally, sudden acceleration and braking can cause a loss of traction and vehicle control due to aquaplaning.

Finally, wind is one of the most uncomfortable meteorological phenomena for driving and can cause accidents in very adverse conditions. On the road, side gusts of wind are particularly dangerous as they can destabilise a vehicle and push it off the road. Pay special attention when exiting tunnels, overtaking, and crossing paths with large vehicles.

What to do? The vehicle will be more controllable and require fewer meters to stop. Increase the frontal and lateral separation distances. With shorter gears, you will maintain enough power to overcome wind resistance. Side winds can destabilise you and compromise your trajectory when crossing paths with other vehicles and overtaking large vehicles.