What Speed Should Be Maintained in Rainy Weather?
3 Answers
Drivers should control their speed appropriately, maintaining a moderate pace, generally between 80 to 90 kilometers per hour. Avoid sudden acceleration and hard braking during normal driving. The driving speed in rainy conditions should be at least 20% lower than in clear weather. Especially on waterlogged roads, reduce speed to prevent skidding and increase the following distance. Pay attention to surrounding vehicles: In case of any situation, take predictive measures early, observe the movements of surrounding vehicles, avoid lane cutting, and refrain from overtaking whenever possible. Avoid using emergency braking: If the road surface has about 2 millimeters of water accumulation, reduce the speed to the minimum. Due to the decreased road adhesion coefficient, not only does the braking distance increase, but the vehicle's resistance to skidding is also significantly reduced. On highways during rainy weather, the use of emergency braking should be avoided as much as possible.
Driving speed in rainy conditions cannot be generalized—it depends on the intensity of the rain and road conditions. When encountering drizzle on the highway, I reduce my speed to below 90 km/h; for moderate rain, I slow down to around 70 km/h; and if it's a heavy downpour with poor visibility, I drop to 40 km/h and proceed cautiously. Pay special attention to water accumulation on the road. Never attempt to drive through puddles deeper than half the tire height, as this can cause skidding or engine flooding and stalling. Braking distance on wet roads is about 1.5 times longer than on dry pavement, so anticipate early and maintain at least twice the usual following distance. Remember to turn on front and rear fog lights, use the windshield wipers liberally, and pull over with hazard lights on if visibility becomes severely compromised.
When driving in the rain, I have a general rule of thumb: keep it under 40 km/h on urban roads with standing water, no more than 60 km/h on regular national highways, and cap at 80 km/h on expressways. These aren't rigid rules though – you've got to keep an eye on visibility near the dashboard. When even the fastest wiper setting can't clear the windshield, you must slow down further. The biggest fear in rain is hydroplaning – at high speeds, tires can easily skid on water surfaces, especially before curves where you should remember to ease off the accelerator. Another tip is to watch the brake lights of the car ahead when following; when they light up, count three seconds in your head before deciding whether to brake, allowing reaction time. It's best to avoid cruise control – manual throttle control is more reliable.
