It’s already June and almost 40% of India have received their first showers of this year’s monsoon. It’s that time of year again when we face heavy rains, high winds and spectacular lightning. But driving in such weather condition is equally unpleasant & inconvenient for drivers. Slippery roads, unexpected wind gusts, flooded highways, potholes and poor visibility all contribute to the dangers of driving in bad weather. While agriculture business starts to bloom during monsoon, logistics businesses see increased demand for transporting agro-products. But due to slow moving traffic, prolonged traffic jams, re-routing, increased risk of vehicle breakdowns or accidents, etc., logistics face operational issues during rainy seasons. These sometimes result in delayed delivery affecting client’s business. We bring you some precautionary tips that will help you get along this monsoon as you get behind the wheels.

• Inspect your vehicle: 

  Inspect your vehicle for any malfunction or damage before you take the road. Check out these following things and get prepared to take on the rains

1. Wipers & Washer: - The first thing you need in the rains while driving are the wipers. Make sure they are in good working condition and smooth on the glasses to give you a clear vision. Replace them if the blades are found cracked or hard. Also, check the water level in windshield washer reservoir & fill it with clean water.

2. Tyres: - Tyres need to be in good shape, literally, to keep you safe in the rains. Check if your tyres have enough treads as it prevents hydroplaning. Make sure your treads are deep enough by simply using a coin and checking if the depth is more than 2mm.

3. Electric functions: - Check your vehicle’s electrical functionality like all lights including fog lights. It is a precautionary measure in case of low visibility. Also get all the electric loose/ exposed connections checked & covered up to avoid any inconvenience during your journey. Proper functioning of air condition and defogger should also be checked up. Also, carry extra fuse in the fuse box.

4. Suspension: - Ignoring suspension checkup could prove costly in a monsoon season. Visually inspect suspension for any shocker oil seepage/leakage. An excess play in ball joints may lead to pulling of vehicle and loss of control while driving.

5. Brakes: - Water easily seeps into brakes & hence brakes have been worst victim of rains. It reduces their braking power & efficiency. Thus make sure the brake oil level is optimum and the handbrake functions properly. If you find yourself in a water-clogged road, apply brake a couple of times to generate heat in the brake rotors as that will help in drying the brakes and give sufficient stopping power when needed the most.

6. Rust: - Water makes metal rust faster than anything. Hence an anti-corrosion treatment is advised to protect the chassis from corroding moisture. It is advised to get a wax coating done before the rainy season starts. The paints are seen to peel and fade due to alternate wet & dry condition. One must also cover all exposed hinges and moving-levers with a lubricating/coating agent. Coat the car’s battery terminals with anti-corrosion grease to protect it from rust.

These were the precautions one needs to take as the monsoon sets in. Now let us see the safety tips drivers need to follow to avoid any mishap or losses.

1. Slow Down

   It is extremely important for tires to make contact with the road in the rain as the road gets wet & slippery. Driving slowly helps tire treads to make good contact with the road & give you a better traction. Also avoid jerky movements when braking, accelerating or turning to avoid any damage.

2. Visibility

   The vision gets blurry in the rainy season. Thus drive with your Headlights ON for your enhanced view & to be visible by others. In case of fog, switch on the Fog Lamps & pay attention to the brake lights of the preceding vehicle.

3. Don’t Tailgate

   Maintain more than normal distance from the car in front of you and stay alert for brake lights ahead as it takes three times longer to stop on a wet road than a dry one.

4. Pull over correctly

   If you decide you cannot drive safely in a severe storm, move completely off the roadway and turn your lights OFF. In poor visibility, other drivers will follow tail lights or brake lights instead of staying on the road.

5. Avoid driving through flooded areas

   Even a few inches of water has the power to move your whole car. Hence avoid water clogged roads. Be alert for posted flood warning signs or barricades.

6. Downed Power Lines: Stay inside the Vehicle

   If a power line comes in contact with your vehicle while you are inside, STAY in your car. Wait for help to arrive and honk the horn to attract attention. If you need to leave the vehicle, do NOT touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time. You should jump out and land with both feet together. Continue to shuffle or hop with both feet till you are at least 50 feet away from your car.

Apart from these precautions, plan the journey such that you reach your destination within daylight hours. Whenever possible, stay off the roads during heavy rains. If you need to park your vehicle in rains, park it completely off the track, preferably a place in a higher level than the road. Poor visibility could result in someone banging into your vehicle. Make a point to switch your parking lights ON if you are parking only for a short time. Look for a cleaner area for overnight parking, that's away from rodents as rats take shelter under the hood and chew on wires.

Fleet managers can use GPS tracking devices to Live Track every vehicle of fleet & be notified for any unprecedented incidents. With increasing orders, managers can assign vehicle trips to drivers in an optimised way. Managers can use vehicle tracking system’s recorded data to re-route vehicles effectively. GPS vehicle tracking systems not only ease your operations but also protect your assets & help you take better business decisions.