Driving on a fairly good weather condition is hard enough for seniors considering their impaired visibility—and sometimes, hearing problems too—and limited range of motion but driving on a rainy day proves to be the biggest challenge of all for aging adults like me. However, we are not going to hang those keys yet and give up; here are some handy tips for seniors who are up for the challenge:

•    Stay calm and practice conscious driving. When I say conscious driving, it means you have to keep your wits about you and not get distracted with the rain or even that swerving car right in front of yours with a drunk driver in tow.
•    Have your car rain-ready! It won’t hurt you a bit if you visit an auto shop today and have your car inspected for road-worthiness, particularly that of a rainy day! Have your tires and wipers checked and install new ones if necessary.
•    Avoid unnecessary road accidents by allowing more travel time than needed. You don’t need that nerve wracking driving moves just because you ran short of time. Also, when driving under the rain, expect to drive in a much slower pace.
•    There are tires designed specifically to withstand slippery roads. They may bring forth another car bill but it will surely save you a lot—even your life—in the long run. Do invest on them.
•    Use your lights. It’s okay to turn them on if you feel you are having a hard time seeing other cars running in front, back and beside of you or even those coming your way and even if it’s not yet raining. AARP suggests that you turn them on whenever you use your wipers.
•    Allow ample space between cars. When roads are this slippery, you would want to maintain a healthy space between your car and the one in front of you, just in case either one of you slips. Be especially aware of other nearby cars too.
•    If it gets too hard to drive, then stop at a safe spot and wait it out. You know that it can’t rain forever right? Instead of gambling with the unknown, try considering your safety first.
•    Never cross a pool of water or drive through one as you don’t know what it is hiding. If you couldn’t help it and you made it safely across, dry your brakes by tapping it.
•    As much as possible, avoid using your brakes, instead maintain a good speed mainly by your accelerator. Do note that even if the word accelerator connotes the word “speed up”, that’s not its only use.