A 3-minute lesson from the Louisiana course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Rain turns roads slick fast, especially in the first minutes before oil and grease wash away. Slow down, double your following distance, and know how to handle a skid or a hydroplane before it happens.
Know the rule
Roads are most slippery immediately after rain begins, when oil and grease haven't washed away; it can be like driving on ice. Reduce speed, use extra caution and allow twice the normal following distance.
When you hydroplane you lose traction and can't brake, accelerate or turn. Keep your wheels straight and reduce speed until the tires regain contact with the road.
A light rain begins after a dry week. The road is at its slickest right now. Drop your speed and double your usual following distance until the rain has washed the oil away.
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.
When is a road surface typically most slippery during a rainstorm?
Immediately after the rain begins to fall
After it has rained steadily for an hour
Only after the rain stops completely
As the road begins to dry
Answer: Immediately after the rain begins to fall
Oil and grease haven't washed off the road yet right when rain starts, making the surface most slippery then.