If there’s one variable that is totally unrelated to your vehicle, but can still be an enormous obstacle during travel, it’s probably the weather. It’s unpredictable, it affects all drivers equally, and no amount of preparation will do anything to prevent it. In Arizona, we’re generally able to avoid some of the more dangerous summer weather systems, but that doesn’t mean that they’re nonexistent. So how can we drive more safely during thunderstorms, hail, and heavy winds?
Drive Safely During Hail, Thunderstorms, and Heavy Winds
Drive Safely During a Hailstorm
Hailstorms can vary greatly in severity, depending on wind speed, size of the stones themselves, and duration of the storm. However, from place to place, the impact of a hailstorm is always immediate. We always must remember that front windshields are shatterproof against objects such as hailstones, but side and rear windows are not. When hail starts flying, try to get under shelter or into a garage. If this isn’t a possibility, we recommend that you cover up inside your vehicle, with your back to the part of your vehicle that is taking the worst beating.
Read More: How to Deal With Motion Sickness
Drive Safely During a Thunderstorm
There isn’t anywhere in America that doesn’t get thunderstorms, so it’s important for drivers everywhere to know how to manage the car during one. If you know that there’s a thunderstorm in your driving path, keep your low-beam headlights on, reduce your speed, and watch for shifting weather patterns. The roads also might be slick due to torrential rain, so keep a safe distance between you and the car ahead. If the storm becomes so severe that driving is no longer safe, it might be a good idea to pull off of the road. Get far off of the roadway, turn on your hazard lights, and stay far away from trees and powerlines.
Read More: Driving Safely Through Construction Zones
Drive Safely During High Winds or Tornadoes
Here’s where the going really gets tricky. High winds will make your car difficult to control, so if you’re being pushed around to the point where driving is scary, you should pull your car off the road as soon as possible. High winds often feature lightning and hail as well as tornadoes, so if you can, try to find shelter in a building. If there are no buildings available and a tornado materializes, exit your vehicle and lay low in a ditch, away from powerlines and debris, and try to cover yourself up as best possible.
There’s no avoiding summer storms, but there are ways to make yourself safer during the process. Listen to weather reports before you travel, keep your phone fully charged, and bring an emergency kit in your vehicle. We hope that these tips keep you safe this summer, and that you’ll come see us soon at Avondale Nissan!
