Autumn Driving Conditions in Ireland

Here is a very quick post about the dangers of autumn driving in Ireland and what to be aware of to stay safe.

In Ireland we have a climate which is very much influenced by the Gulf Stream and so the weather patterns across the Atlantic first reach landfall on the Western Seaboard. This means that usually the western counties get the first hits of bad weather which always means heavy rain and often strong winds; sometimes for several days at a time. Often there appears to be incessant rain for weeks at a time making driving conditions very hazardous.

In order to deal safely with these conditions your car needs to be in tip top shape starting with the Tyres. The legal minimum tyre tread depth which has stood at 1.6mm for 15 years across most of Europe can have the effect of lulling new or inexperienced Drivers into a false sense of security. At 1.6 mm your tyres are approximately 80% worn out and therefore not in any way suitable for dealing with the road conditions found throughout Ireland during the Autumn(fall) or Winter months.

The common hazards would be obviously:-

1.      Flooded roads or standing water on Carriageways or Motorways!

2.      Leaves on the road after the trees have shed them. These sometimes remain for weeks on low trafficked rural roads, particularly on bends in the road.

3.      Substantial quantities of mud on the road left by farmers who are going about their business. This is a particularly evil road condition which can take a car off the road very easily if going too fast.

4.      Potholes on rural roads can be turned into massive holes after a day or two of heavy rain creating the conditions for substantial wheel and tyre damage and the dangerous game of dealing with a puncture late at night on an unlit road!

       Knowing the location of the above mentioned hazards is essential in rural areas since other residents can often be found driving in the middle of the road to avoid them.

Clearly if you meet another vehicle on a slippery bend and both of you are in the middle of the road avoiding potholes and standing water then a collision is very likely.

There has been talk for some considerable time now of increasing the legal minimum tyre tread depth and this would be a very helpful move and would greatly improve the safety of individual drivers if implemented.