Indiana driving lesson · Weather, Night & Driver Condition
Winter, rain, fog, wind & flooding
A 4-minute lesson from the Indiana course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Bad weather changes how well your tires grip, how far you can see, and how long you need to stop. Indiana winters bring ice and drifting snow, and storms bring downpours and flash floods.
Winter driving:
Always clear your windows before driving
Watch for drifting snow, especially in rural areas where a few inches can make roads impassable
With snow on the ground, watch for ice, especially at intersections, and use headlights to be seen
Ramps, bridges, and overpasses may freeze before other parts of the road
Stay a safe distance behind snowplows
In very cold weather, give the engine plenty of time to warm up
Keep a full tank so the heater can run as long as possible if you're stranded
Brush snow off your headlights and taillights frequently
Wet roads can be dangerously slick, especially immediately following a rainfall. Your tires are actually riding on a thin layer of oil, dirt, and water.
When tires touch only the layer of oil, dirt, and water, leaving no friction to brake, speed up, or turn. It increases with speed; wind or a slight turn can cost you control.
In fog, drive cautiously at reduced speed with headlights and flashing emergency signals. Use low beams, not high beams; low beams better illuminate the road ahead.
Driving home in a thunderstorm, you see water flowing across a low stretch of road. There's no barricade, but the depth isn't obvious and it could hide a washout. Don't drive into it; go another way.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
On wet roads, what can lead to your vehicle hydroplaning?
Driving slowly through shallow water
Riding on a thin layer of oil, dirt, and water
Overinflated tires bouncing on the pavement
Worn brake pads gripping unevenly
Answer: Riding on a thin layer of oil, dirt, and water
On wet roads your vehicle travels on a thin layer of oil, dirt, and water, which can lead to hydroplaning, and the risk increases with speed.