I doff my hat for Premium Times. Like I did for the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) last week, Premium Times detailed report on the Rainfall Outlook for 2025 as released by NiMET is our encyclopedia today. It was also surfed on the net last week while preparing this rainy season guide.
For emphasis, the total annual rainfall in Nigeria as reported by Premium Times, is expected to range from 405 mm in the far north to 3010 mm in the coastal region. NiMET predicts that the annual rainfall total in Borno, Yobe, Sokoto, and Katsina states are likely to be less than 685 mm.
I may not be an expert in this weather business, but I am told that 405mm of rain, which is 40.5 centimeters or 15.94 inches, is a significant amount of rain and would be very dangerous for driving. Heavy rainfall, especially of this magnitude, can lead to a variety of hazards that severely impact road safety.
The hazards include reduced visibility, slippery roads, hydroplaning(when deep water causes tires to lose contact with the road surface, leading to hydroplaning, where the vehicle skims across the water and becomes uncontrollable), increased braking distance, flooding, potential for road traffic crashes. In addition, prolonged exposure to this level of rain can also cause damage to vehicles, including rust and electrical issues.
This explains why the Agency warns against driving. Meanwhile, in the Central States, (parts of Niger, Kwara, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue states, and the FCT) rainfall is expected to range from 970 mm to 1500 mm. The Agency projects that Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states will have between 2700 mm and 3010 mm of annual rainfall total.
NiMET predicts that in parts of Kaduna, Ebonyi, Cross River, Lagos, Abia, Akwa Ibom, and the FCT will likely have above-normal annual rainfall amounts. You can check the Agency’s website for other details. However, note that the rainy season is predicted to end between October 6 and December 17.
Please, if all this turenchi from NiMET bores you, remember the tragedy of Frank which I shared last week. Like you, Frank ignored these lessons and ended up glued to a wheel chair for life.
For the sake of averting another tragedy, I have chosen to run this piece on driving in the rain. When I heard the story, I believed that Frank’s survival was a fallout of his faith is God. That is why I wish to start by reminding us about what the Holy Book says about Faith.
Faith, the Bible says, cometh by hearing and hearing the word of God. The same Bible says “my people perish for the lack of knowledge.” Similarly, chapter 15:55 of the Koran says “but remind, for reminding benefits the believers,” Both the holy Bible and the glorious Koran emphasise the need to be knowledgeable.
A couple of years ago, someone dear and inspiring was left crippled by a driver who disregarded the simple rules of being cautious while driving in the rain, especially on unfamiliar roads. What looks like a small mistake caused this lady not just a career but her mobility while the driver escaped without a scratch. Just recently another person who I know lost his life in a crash, which occurred while being driving in the rain. These two painful tragedies, Frank’s survival and perhaps many more which we probably don’t not know about are the reason for reproducing this piece.
Remember that I had shared the story of a pathetic and tragic death of a mother and a wife in a road traffic crash which occurred along Abuja Airport Road. The mother’s details I didn’t know, neither the husband. However, her death, like that of most other tragedies often highlighted on my weekly piece, was caused by a driver’s error.
The woman, if you recall, had flown from the United Kingdom to Abuja without a hitch. On arrival, she called the husband who in turn, perhaps due to another pressing engagement, requested a taxis driver to pick her up. Sometime in the course of 45 minutes’ drive from the Abuja Airport, the driver, on noticing a trailer, instinctively tried to avoid it, but unfortunately crashed into the trailer with the woman and she died. The driver was injured and alive.
The first question I asked was: was it raining? How fast was he going at the point of the crash? On what lane was he? The speed (left lane) or slow lane, (right lane)? Was the trailer stationary? How bad was visibility? Unfortunately, no one was there to reply me as the woman dead and the driver hospitalised.
These questions and many more are the reason for this piece as we daily experience heavy downpour across the country. Driving, according to the Revised High Code, is more difficult and hazardous when visibility is blurred by weather conditions such as mist, fog, harmattan haze or other related factors.
Remember that even before the raining season began, some of the roads were either being repaired or were inadequate. Remember also that there could be broken down vehicles or even slow-moving vehicle with defective lightening system. Remember also that your vehicle could suddenly develop a fault, a tyre could burst, brake failure, electrical system could malfunction; any fault can develop. There may even be fallen trees on the road.
Before you start out ask yourself if that journey is really necessary? Are you in the right state of mind to make the journey? Also confirm the minimum safety state of your vehicle. When it was last serviced? How good is your sight? What is the state of your tyres, wipers and windscreen? Never underestimate the dangers. Make sure your light is working, your windscreens okay and your wipers are in perfect working conditions. Remember that the road is not your personal property; you share the road with others, amongst which are heavy duty vehicles. These heavy-duty vehicles usually require longer distance to stop and would require even more distance under the rain or bad weather conditions.
Rule number one would require that your knowledge of defensive driving techniques be brought to bear for your safety and others. You must always slow down, keep a safe distance from the vehicle before you and always be prepared to stop within your range of vision and avoid possible blind spots.
Your overall stopping distance is the distance your car travels from the moment you realize you must brake to the moment the vehicle stops. It is made up of thinking distance and braking distance. You must never get closer than the overall stopping distance. On wet roads, the gap should be much more. Stopping distance increase greatly with wet and slippery roads, poor brakes, bad tryes and tired drivers.
Since there is diminished visibility during bad weather, whilst driving, seeing and being seen is a must at such times. This is because 80 percent of driving information comes from visibility. Visibility influences the reaction time. Although, motorist, misbehavior and natural influences cannot be eliminated completely, safety is enhanced by creating visibility of obstacles especially when it’s raining. This is critical in the absence of adequate pavement markings that reflect. Without such sighs to guide a driver who may not be familiar with the road on which he is driving, headlights must be used to aid visibility
I must not miss out a critical rule which dwells on the issue of excessive speeding by most drivers. Speeding is regarded as the biggest causative factor in a crashes. The report by World Health Organisation and the World Bank highlights this truth yet road users indulge in this even when it rains.
The report notes that an increase in average speed, is directly related both to the likelihood of a crash occurring and to the severity of the consequences of the crash. For example, every one percent increase in mean speed, it notes, produces a four percent increase in the fatal crash risk and a three percent increase in the serious crash risk.
It further states that the death risk for pedestrians hit by car front rises rapidly; 4.5 times from 50 km/h to 65 km/h. In car-to-car side impacts, the fatality risk for car occupants is 85percent at 65 km/h. These revealed truths should guide you to adopt common sense speed when it rains which at the same time becoming a sticker for lane discipline by ensuring you stay on the slow lane always.
When I wrote on driving in hot weather, I told you that this kind of weather requires you to do three things: ensure your car is safe, ensure you keep everyone in a comfortable temperature, and lastly, have a plan in case of emergency.
These three things are imperative not just during hot weather but all year round, which demands that you imbibe safe driving habits in hot or rainy weather. I enjoy driving in all weather conditions when it is moderate and avoid driving where possible when the weather is extreme. It requires preparation and awareness, ensuring the vehicle meets minimum safety standards, staying hydrated, and being mindful of road conditions and potential hazards.
Let us start with the vehicle conditions, which is the number one priority, especially when driving long or short distances. Your tire condition should also be your number one priority. You should check your tires because hot ambient temperatures can increase tire pressure. Too much pressure, I once told you, can lead to reduced grip and excess wear. Please ensure you check using a pressure gauge or a qualified vulcanizer.
Navigating from cold weather to hot, as we had in 2024, puts thermal stress on tire rubber, and this can increase the risk of failure. Watch out for small cracks forming on your tire tread or sidewalls, and quickly consider the need for a new tire. I have written several times about tires and how to check tire pressures, tread, and tire conditions. Please search for my writeups and update your knowledge to stay alive. Ensure tires are properly inflated, as hot weather conditions can cause tires to wear out and result in blowouts.
You must maintain your cooling system, which requires checking your coolant levels and ensuring the radiator is in good working condition to prevent overheating. For those privileged to have an air conditioner, ensuring it functions is crucial for staying comfortable in hot weather. A functioning air conditioner ensures everyone is safe and calm. This is how to battle the unbearable heat. Without this, please open your windows to enjoy fresh air, which is nature’s gift to travelers, especially in hot weather conditions. Whether you choose an air conditioner or winding down, ensure that occupants are comfortable.
I have assumed that the vehicle is serviced for such a journey. I know many friends who indulge in servicing their vehicle a day before a jury. This practice is common with those who take routine servicing for granted. Except in an emergency situation, I ensure my vehicle is maintained regularly, even without a planned trip.
However, where there is the need for one, I do so for days or weeks in case the technician reverses any malfunction. Ensure you top oil in your engine as it helps regulate engine temperature. Check levels frequently and ensure your battery is in top-notch condition.
Visibility is key for safe driving, which is why checking your windscreen is key. Scratches and streaks on your windscreen are a no-no, as the glaring weather shows them. If they are bad, they can obscure your vision.
Federal Road Safety often engages in an unhealthy argument with motorists over cracks in their windscreens. This is simply because minor windscreen damage can turn into significant cracks if you hit a pothole. My brother, Patrick Adenusi of Safety Beyond Borders, will always hammer on the need to keep the screens washed of grime, tree saps, and other particles, which sometimes stick like glue and affect visibility.
Having a pair of sunglasses is a great idea to enhance visibility and protect your eyes. Forget if you are seen as showing off when you do so. When looking directly at the road or other road users, the hot weather can affect you. Your sunshades can also be handy in blocking out bright sunshine. If you can, especially with children at the back, please get removable sunshades for the side windows.
For long journeys, avoid prolonged periods of driving without breaks to prevent dehydration, fatigue, and heat exhaustion. In keeping with the provisions of the National Road Traffic Regulations, the Corps advises that you take a break every three hours, while those with inherent driving or health challenges could do so after two hours.
Since driving is a shared responsibility, it is imperative that you are mindful of other road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, especially when approaching buildup areas. You should also be mindful of other road hazards.
Earlier, I told you that having an emergency plan was the third most crucial dependant. I am aware this is often not in the diary of travellers who will plan for fuel and eating needs but will pretend they don’t care about how to reach first responders such as the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Federal Fire Service, or even the Nigerian Police.
Driving is not risk-free, so you need to have a plan. At such times, your sunshade becomes useful while you wait for a towing vehicle. Having a power bank to charge your phone and water to keep you dehydrated. Carry a first aid kit in case of minor injuries, and please be aware of potential road dangers.
Above all, monitoring the Federal Road Safety Corps toll-free number 122 and other emergency numbers is very important for you and other road users.