We usually cite rain, snow and fog as the meteorological effects that most affect driving. Not reducing visibility, the wind is not usually included between the meteorological effects that affects road safety … but it is. In fact, it can be dangerous, especially if it blows bursts or is very strong.
In winter days it will be important that extreme caution adapt your winding driving that will exceed 100 km/h. In this way you will avoid unnecessary scares. It seems nonsense, but … did you know that every winter there are more than 170 accidents because of the strong wind or that a 4.5% of accidents related to bad weather are due to it?
Other meteorological phenomena are more predictable and you can prepare for a rainy day, or for an area with snow, but the wind can occur in a stretch of the road due to diverse circumstances than They can make you suddenly. These tips will help you drive with more security.
1. Extreme precautions and slow the speed
When weather conditions become adverse it is essential Adapt our speed. Come from where the wind comes, the first intimid is to reduce the speed, since the weight of the car itself will allow you to have a better grip on the road.
The great danger of combining speed and wind is that a side wind of side wind can make our car deviate from its trajectory, already greater speed, the wind thrust will make us deviate even more about our trajectory. From the DGT, the use of short high revolution regime In the engine to keep your vehicle’s trajectory more easily.
2. Attentive to the wind direction
Another important factors that will allow you to get the car faster is detect the direction and strength of the windsince you can react immediately, however, if the wind is racer, you may have a front wind and pass through a valley and have a side blow of wind, so you never have to trust.
It is important to control the movement of the branches in the treetops. The place towards which the branches move will indicate visually to which place the wind moves. Out of city exist wind sleevesthought precisely for that purpose, to indicate the direction of the wind, and give us a reference on its intensity.
3. Cross wind
The Sudden address changes In the wind are perhaps the greatest danger you can find while driving. To avoid scares firmly subject the steering wheel, do not perform sudden movements, and try to correct those changes of direction to prevent the wind from diverting your trajectory. It is important to make very soft and progressive. If otherwise you make sudden and fast and casually movements the wind gusts ceases, goodbye very good.
4. Be careful with trees
The Fall of trees On the road it is a real danger, so that we have to be on mountain roads, which circulate through groves, and with many blind curves. Nor do we advise you to park under trees, they can damage the body of your car.
5. Caution in tunnels and viaducts
You must keep in mind that tunnel The force of the wind that pushed your car will cease, and it will not be necessary for you to perform corrections. But remember that, when leaving the tunnel again, the wind will return, this time with an unknown direction and a different intensity than the one there was when entering the tunnel.
Also the Viaducts They are places especially exposed to the force of the wind. We take this point to remind you how to circulate through bridges and viaducts safely.
6. Extreme caution when advanced
The overtaking is alone a driving risk maneuver, but without we have strong wind, the danger is multiplied, especially if they are vehicles of large tonnage (trucks and buses). Its ability to exercise as a barrier to two situations:
- Yes wind blows down the right side And you advance, when you match the vehicle, your car will approach it, as if it were absorbed. In addition, it will hinder your incorporation into the right lane (because it pushes you to the left).
- If on the contrary the wind blows on the leftovercoming the vehicle you will find the opposite effect, with which your car is pushed into the right lane.
In both cases, firmly holds the steering wheel, since the changes in trajectory caused by the wind in our car are produced suddenly, so this point will be very important.
7. Care The “UFOs”
In city it is nothing strange that a bin or a container begins to roll down the street on a windy day. You must also be careful with the typical “flying” plastic bag that can be placed on the car’s moon and subtract visibility.
8. aslippery sfalto
You must keep in mind that even without rainfallasphalt may be more slippery than usual. The wind usually drags sand to the road and tree leaves. That accumulation of leaves can be a danger when entering a curve.
9. Know your car
The vehicles that generally suffer more by the bursts of lateral wind are those with higher bodybuildingsand with greater lateral surface. This is the case of large minivans and SUV, vehicles that are fashionable but that are more complicated to control due to their highest height and center of gravity. If your car is this guy you have be even more careful.
10. Do not forget maintenance
The tires are as we have always said, basic in road safety (they are part of the safety triangle), since it is our point of union with the road and if the tire It lacks drawing, or does not have proper pressure, it will add a plus risk to the situation.
