Whilst the winds of Storm Abigail have now passed us by across Dumfries and Galloway, there appears to be little let up in the rain forecast for this weekend. The Met Office is warning of heavy and persistent rain coming along on Saturday (14 November) and running through into Sunday (15 November). We are likely to see between 70-100 mm of rain over this period.
Inspector Neil Hewitson of the Roads Poling Unit said “this rain falling on already saturated ground across the region is likely to lead to areas of standing water on our roads, with some flooding in other areas. Drivers have to be aware of the road conditions as they set out on a journey. The following advice should be taken on board when driving in floods:-
• When the road is wet, it can take twice as long to stop.
So it makes sense to slow down and maintain a safe
distance from the vehicle in front.
• If your vehicle loses its grip, or “aquaplanes” on surface
water, take your foot off the accelerator to slow down. Do
not brake or steer suddenly because you have no control
of the steering or brakes
• Try to avoid driving through surface water as you might
flood your engine. Avoid the deepest water which is
usually nearest the kerb
• If you have to drive through floods, drive slowly using first
gear and try to keep the engine revving at a high rate. Move
forward continuously to avoid stalling the engine. If driving
an automatic vehicle, engage and hold in a low gear
• Check your mirror and test your brakes after driving
through water, to make sure they are still working properly
