A 3-minute lesson from the Iowa course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
The best way to prepare for bad-weather driving is to avoid being caught by surprise. Check 511ia.org or the free Iowa 511 app—available 24/7 with snowplow dash-cam and live traffic-camera images—and decide whether to adjust or postpone your trip.
Know the rule
If you must drive in inclement weather, slow down and increase your following distance to give yourself more time to stop. Do not use cruise control during inclement weather.
Precipitation can reduce vision, change other drivers' habits, and change the friction between your vehicle and the road—be cautious before, during, and after it falls.
Do not use cruise control in wet or slippery conditions. If you must adjust controls, make sure the road ahead is clear and look away for only a second or two.
Rain starts on the highway. Wipers and low beams on, cruise control off, and drop back to five or six seconds behind the car ahead. If that car leaves no tracks in the water, slow down more.
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.
According to the manual's wet/slippery roads section, how much following distance should you keep in the rain?
Two seconds
One second
Three seconds maximum
Five or six seconds
Answer: Five or six seconds
In wet weather, increase your following distance to five or six seconds.