Autumn is beginning, so a few points on how it affects driving will not go amiss. Cold, damp, leaves covering roads and streets… would be the main factors to bear in mind.
Until 21 December, we will be living in the season called autumn. The melancholy season par excellence, the one identified with twilight and even with the end of something… brings its own particular weather conditions. The thermometer starts to fall, the first rains arrive and the weather in general becomes more unpleasant, cool and damp. The days get shorter, darkness falls earlier. And driving will be affected, as usually happens, by all these circumstances.
Although we are still a long way—especially in countries like ours—from so-called “black ice” (or ice on the road), which belongs to the more wintry months, we face other kinds of risk when we get behind the wheel. How to drive safely in the rain is one of the concerns (we already talked about the “gota fría” cold drop here), but not the only one:
- The leaves on the trees, which, after the splendour of summer, begin to fall, form a carpet that, despite its obvious beauty, can be a huge hazard when driving over it. Above all because of grip.
- The cooling of the asphalt, and damp in general. This factor has a big influence on tyres (ideally, check them for grip and pressure) and on brakes too (it is a good idea to apply them gently to check they are working properly). Checking the wiper blades is advisable at this time of year.
- To the combination of car and rain we must add the fog factor. Here it is essential to keep a safe braking distance, and that will depend a great deal on the speed at which you are driving. Another rule: moderation and fog lights so that other vehicles can see us on the road. Dipped headlights during the day, even; and main beam when needed.
- If we are going out on a tow truck call-out, we must of course moderate our speed, however urgently the service has been requested. With fewer hours of daylight and worse weather conditions, the road is no laughing matter. As the professionals we are, we know this.
- In short, both getting our vehicle ready and driving with a certain care, keeping a safe distance and taking into account the surroundings, the leaves, drizzle and damp, will be the keys to good autumn driving.