How to drive safely when it rains in UAE

Rain in Dubai (or anywhere else in the UAE) seems like a foreign concept. Live here long enough and you may even forget what rain looks and even smells like! And although Dubai and the UAE boasts some of the best road infrastructure in the world, you still need to drive carefully in wet weather. When it rains, it pours and when it gets wet, it means slippery roads, reduced visibility and a lot more traffic on our roads.

Here’s how to drive safely on UAE roads when it rains:

Always keep a safe distance

Make sure you’re 3-4 car lengths away from the car in front of you. Normally it’s recommended to be 2 car lengths but in wet weather, you need extra distance

Drive slower

Dubai may be known for some super fast driving but when it rains, you need to drive much slower than you would if it wasn’t raining. Slower driving speeds means less chance of skidding and accidents.

Stay in your lane and avoid unnecessary lane changing

It’s tricky enough to navigate when cars are constantly lane changing but when it rains, it becomes even more treacherous.

Try not to drive with the radio on or too loudly

You want to hear the traffic around you a lot more when driving in the rain in the UAE.  Because of reduced visibility due to the rain, you’ll want your other senses to pick up the slack and having fewer audio distractions is the key to safety. And lastly: Please don’t drive with your hazard lights on! Hazard lights during wet weather send the wrong signals to drivers and could cause accidents. This appears to be a common problem when driving in Dubai (and other parts of the UAE) but if you only use hazard lights when they’re supposed to (car is stopped, genuine emergency) then everyone will be safer on the roads.   As a side note: always keep your car maintained and ensure your wipers are in top condition. They are absolutely essential when it rains and can make a huge difference to your visibility of the road. AutoDrift.ae is committed to safe driving and we recommend you always drive safely no matter the car you drive, the distance you’re driving or who else is in the car with you.