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Keller @ Large: Wet Weather Driving Lesson

BOSTON (CBS) - What is this stuff falling from the sky?

Is it leakage from Mars? Is it fireworks residue from July 4th?

No, it's rain, something we haven't seen much of in recent months, falling in large quantities on our roads.

And when we get a good soaking after not having had one for a while, you know what means – it's time to review the basic rules of safe wet-weather driving, for the benefit of those of us who, inexplicably, cannot seem to remember them from the last time we got wet.

rain
(Photo by Doug Cope-WBZ NewsRadio 1030)

We start with the basics.

Rain, you may recall, is wet. When it falls on the road, it makes the road wet. And a wet road can quickly become a slippery road.

What does this mean to you, the driver? It means you really should slow down so as not to lose control of your vehicle on these wet, slippery roads.

For some Boston-area drivers, this may seem counter-intuitive.

We tend to be in a rush around here, to a fault. Driving in the rain can seem unpleasant. Thus, too many of us will do the math today and decide to step on it, so as to reduce the amount of time spent on the road.

This is unwise. So is the notion that it is OK to pursue the popular Boston-driver pastime of tailgating even though the roads are wet. It will take you longer to stop than normal under these conditions, and if you tailgate, the chances of a collision are heightened.

I know this may be hard to comprehend for some, but please try.

I know most of you have the brains you were born with and will handle this wet spell just fine.

But I also know you know what and who I'm talking about.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News weeknights at 11 p.m.

Email Jon at keller@wbztv.com or reach him on Twitter @kelleratlarge.

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