Drive Safer: Tips for the monsoons

Some driving tips during the monsoons.

1. Your car might feel like a boat. But it is not. Avoid driving through water-clogged areas. Apart from the risks you run about water hitting the engine or your brakes, you will not be able to judge the depth of potholes or spot an open drain. In which case, chances are you might get stuck.

2. If you can’t help driving through a water-logged region, make sure the water does not rise above half the tyre-height.

3. Do not drive fast through water. Not only do you splash water on others around you, the air-dams in the front of the car are designed to direct air drafts towards the engine that help keep it cool. So there are greater chances, the same air dams are going to direct water towards the engine, and your vehicle might stall.

4. Shift into low gear, keep your foot on the accelerator and use the clutch to control the speed of the vehicle. This makes sure the exhaust air is moving outwards, reducing chances of water entering the engine through the exhaust system. DO NOT LIFT YOUR FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR as the action of slowing down the engine might create suction from the exhaust system. THIS ALSO MEANS, DRIVE SLOWLY, so you do not have to apply brakes, that might also be wet. For those who drive automatics, shift into the low drive modes, D1 or D2.

5. In case your vehicle stalls, do not try to crank it. After water has hit the engine, cranking it further will create more damage. Your service center can detect whether you attempted to crank the engine after water has hit it. It will void warranty and increase service costs. It costs a minimal extra to insure your vehicle for flooding, and most policies will cover the cost of service as well as towing charges, in case your vehicle stalls in the water. So make a call to roadside assistance or your service station.

Read about precautions and other tips on my blog.