Drivers urged to drive in middle lane 'until Friday'

Drivers urged to drive in middle lane 'until Friday'
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Drivers have been told to drive in the middle lane during poor weather as the Met Office continues to warn over heavy rainfall. Amber and yellow warnings have been issued by the forecasting agency as the heavy downpours continue.

Aquaplaning is an issue caused when a layer of water is allowed to build up between a vehicle’s tyres and the surface of the road beneath. At this point, the tyres cannot grip on the road and this causes a lack of traction which means the driver loses control and is unable to steer, brake or accelerate, the RAC said.

When driving on a wet road you might hear your engine suddenly become louder, the motoring group said, and feel like you’ve dropped the clutch down the gears while driving at speed, causing the revs to increase. You may feel the steering become ‘light’.

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Further rain is to come this week, the Met Office has warned. A warning for rain has been issued in northern and eastern areas of England on Thursday, with the highest rainfall totals likely across the Pennines and North York Moors where 80-100mm could accumulate during the day, while others within the warning area could see 20-30mm quite widely, and in excess of 50mm in some locations.

After a wet day for many on Thursday, Friday will see further outbreaks of rain in central and southern areas of the UK, with some sunny spells further north. It’ll also be turning cooler for much of the UK ahead of the weekend, with a shift in the dominant weather regime.

You may experience the back end of the car drifting from side to side – known as ‘fishtailing’. Eden Tyres said: "Water tends to pool in the outer lanes, so stay in the middle lane if it’s safe to do so." Train Driving Instructor explained: "Stay in the middle of the lane.

"Water tends to be deepest in the outer lanes of the road. When driving in heavy rain, stay in the middle of the lane if possible to reduce the risk of aqua-planing.” And Halfords also spoke out over the need to ensure you are staying safe amid the downturn in weather.

Halfords explained: “If you feel the steering wheel go soft and your car moves in any other direction but forward, then you may be aquaplaning. The dangerous aspect of aquaplaning is that you can lose control even when driving in a straight line, so take extra care and consider slowing down if there’s a lot of standing water.”