Flooding: driving advice

With the recent thaw and further rain forecast, motorists across the region are being urged by West Mercia Safer Roads Partnership to take care and exercise caution on areas of road that may be affected by flooding.  Localised flooding is present in some places and a number of flood warnings are still in place by the Environment Agency, which could affect normal driving routes across the region.

Ongoing travel disruption across some routes is expected over the week.

The Partnership are advising motorists that if driving through larger puddles or smaller areas of standing water drive slowly and steadily, allow oncoming traffic to pass and always test your brakes after leaving the water.  If water has flooded across a section of road it may be difficult to tell exactly how deep it is.  If you do come across a road that is flooded DO NOT attempt to drive through the flood water.  Attempting this not only has the potential to put yourself in danger and other people, it could also damage your vehicle; as little as an egg cup of water entering your engine is enough to wreck it. 

In weather conditions such as this visibility can also be seriously reduced so headlights MUST be used, together with allowing a bigger gap between you and the car in front to allow for the increased stopping distance.  If you are unlucky enough to breakdown, advice from the AA is to try and get the car to a safe and visible place, call for roadside assistance and wait for help to arrive.

Vicki Bristow from the Safer Roads Partnership commented:

“We are urging all motorists to exercise caution in these conditions, use common sense and follow our simple advice.  Localised flooding exists in places and the current forecast is predicting more of the same.  Our advice is to stay alert to local weather and to listen to news reports for local road closures.”