Driving in the sandstorm is full of dangers. The sandstorm hits the Gulf Region at least twice a year. The probability of the crashing of the vehicles increases million times more in the sandstorms than in the normal weather conditions. The best advice for the motorists is to completely avoid driving when a sandstorm is forecasted. But if found driving in a sandstorm, you should know the ways of getting out of it safely.
Following are the tips to drive safely when a sandstorm hits your city.
Stay indoors and refrain from Driving
Sandstorms are frequent in the Gulf region and the motorists are more or less used to it. But these sandstorms at times become so intense that driving gets seriously difficult. You must check the weather forecast before leaving home and if a sandstorm is in the forecast, you should prefer sitting at home and waiting for the sandstorm to go away.
Drive slowly and Keep all the lights of your Car Turned on
If you cannot avoid travelling in a sandstorm, then you must understand the ways to drive safely in such a weather condition. You need to drive fairly slowly and keep all the lights of the car turned on as the visibility in a sandstorm gets too low to the comfort of the drivers. The use of the indicators becomes very important when you are driving in a sandstorm.
Keep Fair Distance from other Vehicles
As the sand covers the roads, the visibility decreases to the point where it gets tough for the motorists to locate other vehicles. In such a case, it is advised to keep a fair distance from other vehicles so that the collisions can be avoided.
Also read: 9 Lifesaving Tips for Driving in the Rain
Don’t Stop Suddenly
You must not stop with a sudden jerk while driving in the sandstorm. Due to the lack of visibility in the sandstorm, the other drivers might not see you stopping and it can cause a collision.
Keep the Windows of the Car locked
You must not open the windows of the car in a sandstorm situation as it will make you and the interior of your car susceptible to a huge amount of dust. Keep the air vents inside the vehicle closed and for best protection, wear a face mask to avoid the dust sneaking into your respiratory tract.
Try to Get to a Higher Ground
When driving in a sandstorm, you should look to find a path that is a little higher than the ground level. The intensity of the sandstorm is highest when you drive closest to the ground. As you move higher the intensity of wind gets lighter.
Park the Car at a side and Turn off all the Lights
When you see the sandstorm intensity continually increasing, skip driving and park the car on a roadside and turn off all the lights. Keeping the lights turned on can misdirect the motorists thinking if it’s the way on the road. Don’t start driving again till the visibility on the road gets clear up to 300 feet.
Don’t Smoke
As the visibility is already bleak, you must avoid smoking as it can further blur your vision making it tougher to drive.
Don’t Drive on Heaps of Sand
When a sandstorm is around, you must keep a check on the roads and avoid driving on the tracks that are loaded with the heaps of sand. Driving in excess of sand can lead to losing control on the vehicle and can create a panic situation on the road.
Keep your Car Radio On
It is important to keep your car radio on to stay aware of the latest updates on the sandstorm. It helps you to know which areas are hit by the maximum intensity of sandstorm and when it is going to end. You can then drive accordingly following all the tips mentioned already.
Don’t Panic if any Hard Objects Strike your Vehicle
Last but not the least; you must not panic if you find your vehicle being hit by hard objects flying through the sandstorm. You must not drive fast to avoid these objects and stay calm. You must always remember that any physical damage to the car is repairable and you cannot risk your own life and the lives of others to save the car.
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Road Safety should be the Ultimate Goal while Driving in Sandstorm
When you are driving in a sandstorm and being hit by massive wind, you should never rush to reach your destination. You might get late but it can ultimately help you save yourself and other from the dangerous pitfalls of rash driving. Road safety must be given the preference and driving should be executed at a very slow pace to avoid visibility issues in the sandstorm. This is how you and all other motorists will stay safe on the road when a sandstorm hits the roads of UAE next time.
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