Severe Weather Season is Upon Us: Do You Know How to Drive in It?

Driving during any form of severe weather–rain, floods, lightning, hailstorms, high winds–can be tricky. Should I slow down? Do I pull over? Turn on my hazard lights? Knowing what procedure to take during a storm is only one side of the coin. There’s also the element of extreme danger: finding yourself in a flash flood or popup storm can be life-threatening. This is why it is imperative drivers know even the basic guidelines to staying safe while driving in severe weather.

There are some basic guidelines for keeping safe while in such a situation. This time of year, these days between summer and fall, strange weather tends to creep through. Wild winds, hail, and even tornados can strike up at any moment. So far, we have already experienced some extreme thunderstorms that have flooded low areas and knocked the power out of varying parts of Matthews and Charlotte. And though anything can happen, this is the type of weather we usually get.

When encountering such weather behavior, it’s important to remain calm and rational. When in doubt, turn on the hazards and pull over or off the road. There are plenty of reasons to use your car’s hazard lights. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, one should use them when involved in an accident; approaching cars crossing into your lane; a tire blowout; engine failure; flooded roads; and hydroplaning.

If you are slowly making your way through a storm (with your hazard lights on), do your best to stay out from under large trees or, more specifically, large tree branches. All it takes is one strike of lightning to bring one down. And if it’s not difficult enough looking for swaying tree limbs, you also need to be mindful of what’s happening on the road–and not only staying on it. Large puddles can easily form due to poor drainage. Driving into one of these even at a low speed can bring you to a quick halt, and even do some damage to you and/or your car.

The following is a list of basic tips for when encountering a side effect we see from one of these severe storms within the city–flooding:

• If you ever come upon a flooded area of road, slow down as much as possible and approach the water. Put on your hazard lights so other vehicles can see you are alert, and check your surroundings. Turn off the air conditioning or heat to be sure the fan in the engine compartment is not running. If the flooding is high enough, it could damage the fan if it’s circulating. Put the vehicle in the lowest setting possible (first gear if driving a manual, and the + – if an automatic) and slowly enter the flooded area.
• Move forward at a gradual pace, and keep the steering wheel as straight as possible. Try not to slam on the brakes or accelerate quickly. The goal is to coast through the water smoothly.
• Stay alert. Once you are halfway or so through the flooded area, do your best not to stop. This could damage the engine and leave you stranded in the water. Keep moving and keep monitoring the water to be sure it is not becoming too deep. If the water happens to be deep enough to cover your hood, stop and put the vehicle in reverse to backtrack. Do this with smooth motions, but move quickly.
• Once the water begins to decrease, carefully start accelerating until you are completely out. Turn off your hazard lights, put your vehicle into the appropriate gear, and get yourself back up to speed.

In these types of situations, it helps if you are driving an SUV. Even a compact one. Something like the GMC Yukon or the GMC Acadia is a great option, as it sits a little higher.

GMC’s High Level of Safety

Luckily, car companies like GMC, have taken driver safety to a whole new level. Those at GMC know that basic safety begins with what you can see, and luckily they have grouped together various monitoring systems so you can see way more than only what’s in front of you. Here is what GMC has to offer in terms of safety:

• High Definition Surround Vision

This digital bird’s-eye view comes in high definition and gives a crystal clear image of the area around your vehicle when driving at low speeds. The image of your area pops up on the Infotainment display, which helps you to avoid objects and perfectly park in just about any spot.

• Hitch Guidance with Hitch View
  Using the Rear Vision Camera, this special feature enables you to align your GMC with a trailer by using a zoom camera that can pan and tilt. Not only that, but once the trailer is connected and you are driving down the road, you can view the trailer while driving.
• Rear Camera Mirror

What we like about this camera is that you can use it inside the mirror or you can use the camera mirror display, which gives a clear, wide image and you can zoom and tilt vertically.

While GMC has drivers covered on what they can see (by allowing you to see all around your vehicle in real time), what about those severe weather situations where you can’t see what is happening? A heavy rainstorm or, worse, a hailstorm. GMC thought of that too and has provided some amazing sensory safety technology. Check it out:

• Following Distance Indicator

This clever tool is set to keep you at a particular distance behind the vehicle in front of your vehicle (you can readjust the setting to be closer or farther if you like). If your car creeps up too close, the Following Distance Indicator will alert you immediately so you can quickly apply the brake and back off a bit.

• Forward Collision Alert

Similar to the previous feature, Forward Collision Alert uses sensors to indicate the space between you and the vehicle ahead, only this detects and alerts when a front-end collision is imminent; for instance, if the vehicle ahead is at a complete stop as you come upon it, the Forward Collision Alert feature will give you more time to apply the brake even if the collision is still going to happen. This is one feature you hope to never have to use, but it’s one that can definitely save your life if you ever do.

• Front and Rear Park Assist

Park assist detects objects or people around you when you are driving at low speeds—typically, used when parking or navigating through congested areas. We have found this feature to improve even the worst of parallel parkers.

• Lane Departure Warning

This warning feature can be turned on or off by the driver, and it’s perfect for longer drives, as it helps to keep you from drifting out of your lane. When you are driving, and you begin to veer, the steering wheel will tighten (not completely, but enough to get your attention) so you know to make the correction. If you are changing lanes, simply apply the blinker to disengage the Lane Departure Warning.

• Safety Alert Seat

This specialized seat vibrates and pulses at the bottom of the chair for various warnings. This feature is an option instead of having auditory or visual warnings. This is a great option to keep you safe when you have a car full of talkative kids, or you feel like blasting your favorite song.

Now you are covered visually and when you are driving in severe conditions. There is one more step GMC has taken. The most advanced safety technology is that which can presuppose possible accidents before they even happen. Check out what GMC has to offer in this high-tech area:

• Adaptive Cruise Control—Advanced

This is one of our favorite safety features, as it enhances regular cruise control by incorporating specialized sensors and radar technology so that your car can adapt to the driving conditions around it. For example, once you have set the preferred distance between your car and those ahead of it, Adaptive Cruise Control—Advanced, will speed your car up or slow it down in order to maintain that distance.

• Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking

When driving below 50 miles per hour, this feature will alert you if there is the potential for a front-end collision, and it will also automatically apply emergency braking if the driver does not respond quickly enough. This safety feature works for pedestrians as well. If the Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking system detects a person, or people—even animals—it will alert the driver and begin braking.

Tags: Buick Safety Features, GMC Truck Safety Features
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