Start with Official Forecasts
Your first step before any journey should be to check the weather, not just on a consumer app, but with official sources. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is the authoritative voice on weather in the country. The IMD issues colour-coded warnings—Green
(No Warning), Yellow (Watch), Orange (Alert), and Red (Warning)—for heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and other hazards. These warnings are issued at national, state, and even district levels, providing specific insights into the intensity and potential impact of the rain. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) also releases advisories based on these forecasts, highlighting risks like urban flooding and landslides, which are crucial for route planning. Understanding these alerts helps you decide if your journey is even advisable.
Use Your Navigation Apps Intelligently
Navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze are powerful tools if you know how to use them for safety. During monsoon season in India, Google Maps now includes real-time, user-reported alerts for flooded roads and low-visibility conditions. When you input your destination, pay close attention to these alerts, which appear directly on the map. The app may also suggest alternate routes that avoid these hazards. Waze similarly relies on crowdsourced data to flag waterlogged streets. Don’t just follow the fastest route blindly; take a moment to manually inspect the suggested path. Look for roads that pass through known low-lying areas, underpasses, or areas near overflowing lakes and rivers, and consider choosing a route that sticks to higher ground, even if it’s slightly longer.
Prepare Your Vehicle for the Worst
A safe journey starts before you turn the key. Your vehicle must be ready for wet conditions. Check that your tyres have adequate tread depth; worn tyres are a major cause of skidding and hydroplaning on wet roads. Ensure your windshield wipers are in perfect working order and can clear water effectively without leaving streaks. Test all your lights—headlights, taillights, and indicators—as visibility is drastically reduced during a downpour. Using low-beam headlights makes you more visible to others. Finally, fill up your fuel tank and pack an emergency kit with a torch, first-aid supplies, water, and some food. Being stranded is bad enough; being unprepared makes it worse.
Reading the Road in Real Time
Once you are driving, your eyes are your best safety tool. Always reduce your speed significantly. It takes much longer to brake on wet roads, and driving slower reduces the risk of hydroplaning, where your tyres lose contact with the road surface. Maintain a much larger following distance between you and the vehicle ahead. Be wary of standing water. It's often impossible to tell how deep it is, and just six inches of water can be enough to cause you to lose control or stall your engine. Two feet of moving water can sweep most vehicles away. If you see a flooded section of road, do not attempt to drive through it. The mantra “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” is a literal lifesaver. Look for alternate routes or be prepared to wait until the water recedes.
What to Do If You Get Stranded
Even with the best planning, things can go wrong. If your car stalls in water, do not try to restart the engine. This can cause what’s known as a hydrostatic lock, which will permanently destroy your engine. If the water is rising, especially if it's moving, your priority is your safety, not the vehicle. Turn on your hazard lights, unlock your doors, and if you can, open a window to exit. If the water is stationary and you can safely get out, abandon the vehicle and move to higher ground. Do not wait inside a car that is being surrounded by rising water. If you are in moving water, it is often safer to stay with the vehicle and climb onto the roof to wait for rescue. Call for emergency services as soon as you are safe.
