Rain is great, but it brings risks  

Much of South Africa has experienced heavy rain over the past week, and as wonderful as rain in our water scarce country is, it brings with it increased risk for accidents and damage.

On the roads, traffic lights are often out of order (leaving self-appointed pointsmen directing traffic in their place), visibility is limited and road surfaces are slippery with pooled water.

At home, overflowing gutters can send water into dwellings, rain soaked branches can break off from trees, and flash floods can result in deluges of water coming in under doors.

Although there's nothing drivers and homeowners can do to stop the storms at this time of year, they can be better prepared for the adverse weather, helping to limit damage and therefore the need to claim from their insurance policies for repairs.

On private and company vehicles:

• Replace windscreen wipers if necessary to ensure clear vision when driving in rain.
• Check tyres for wear and tear, and replace them before the rainy season starts.
• Ensure demisters (defoggers) are working correctly to clear condensation from front and rear windscreens.
• Check brake pads for wear and tear; wet conditions often result in harsh braking. Brakes in poor condition are less effective, and can result in vehicles causing accidents.
• Park under solid cover, if possible, in the event of a hail storm.

When driving in rain:

• Drive with your lights on.
• Stick to the speed limit (or even lower, in the case of heavy rain).
• Avoid large puddles of water on the road, if possible, to prevent aquaplaning across the road.
• Be vigilant; not everyone drives with their lights on during storms or adheres to the speed limit. Limited visibility means drivers have less reaction time.
• Stay away from low-level bridges, which can quickly be under water during flash floods.
• Remember that just 60cm of moving water can sweep a vehicle away (it is not advisable to drive in water that comes above the bottom of your car door).
• Although not always avoidable, it is best to stay off the roads during storm conditions.

On your residential property or business premises:

• Regularly clear away leaves and debris from gutters.
• Trim trees with low hanging branches away from roofs and carports.
• Check roof tile and roof sheeting fasteners on buildings located in high-wind areas.
• Invest in storm shutters for buildings with glass doors and large windows.
• If you have a paved area that runs down towards an entrance or doors, have sandbags on standby to redirect overflow water during storms.
• Turn off wifi networks and unplug electrical appliances if lightning or thunderstorms are forecast.

Aside from these measures, it's a good idea to check that your home, vehicle and business insurance policies are up to date. Being under or overinsured both present challenges should you need to claim in the event of storm damage.