Steve White, our Director, says: “March is usually our rainy month, so we are offering drivers some tips for coping on wet, and potentially flooded, roads.

“Our knowledgeable staff are available to give anyone who visits us some advice on how they can avoid any accidents or breakdowns during the wet weather.”

Our top tips for driving on wet or flooded roads are:

• Should you come to a flooded road, take an alternative route unless you can be sure it is shallow. If you can’t take an alternative route, make sure there is no more than six inches of standing water or four inches of moving water
• If you come across a large stretch of shallow water, maintain a steady, slow speed throughout and use a low gear so the engine revs are higher. Driving fast could cause water to get into the engine
• All road surfaces are susceptible to standing water, so beware of aquaplaning and ease off the accelerator
• If you break down in heavy rain, do not open the bonnet while you are waiting for the breakdown cover to arrive, as the engine will be more difficult to start again if the electrics are wet
• Make sure there is at least double the distance between you and the car in front than there would usually be. Stopping distances increase on wet roads
• Driving at high speeds through water could soak pedestrians or cyclists. You could face a fine and between three and nine penalty points if the police believe you were driving without reasonable consideration for other road users.

Steve continued: “It is also important to think about whether you need to make your journey, especially if the heavy rain has not subsided. If you do decide to go ahead, make sure you keep up-to-date with the local weather forecasts, so you know of any planned road closures or if severe weather is on the way.”

To find out more about us, please drop in at our outlet on Pottery Close in Weston-super-Mare, call 01934 620 160 or visit us in Bristol at Two Mile Hill Road in Kingswood and call 0117 967 32 32.