8 driving tips for motorists caught in storms

Motorists who are caught unawares while driving in a storm, would be well advised to take heed of the cautionary steps issued in the wake of the recent flash floods in Gauteng.

The storm, hail and resultant flash floods that swept across that province over two days left a swathe of destruction in its wake.

The result has seen Standard Insurance Limited registering nearly 600 claims for damage to cars, buildings and homes in the past 24 hours. Denise Shaw, COO for Standard Insurance Limited said that as soon as the South African Weather Service reports regarding severe storms began coming in, prior to any actual damage reports, the bank activated its plans to ensure that clients in need could lodge claims as conveniently as possible.

The storms, which according to numerous reports are set to continue into the weekend, have caused widespread damage to personal property and claims lodged include car accident claims, smashed windows, damaged roofs and ceilings, as well as damage to furniture and fittings within homes due to flooding and leaking ceilings. A large number of claims have also been submitted by motorists caught in the open by the hail and storm.

Ms Shaw notes that many insurance companies issue SMS or electronic warnings to clients about potential storms and hail. “These notifications should be taken seriously and steps should be taken to secure homes and park cars under cover.”

These include:

• Try to avoid being on the road, but if you are, drive slowly and carefully.
• Reduce speed to match the road conditions and increase following distance to at least a distance of three cars.
• Turn headlights on so that you can be seen by other vehicles.
• If you can, pull off the road safely and activate your car’s hazard lights as a warning to other motorists.
• Do not park under trees as there is a risk of falling branches and debris.
• Be pro-active and ensure that windscreen wipers are always in good condition so that they can cope with sudden downpours.
• Never get out of your vehicle, as you can run the risk of possible injury from falling hailstones.
• Do not attempt to drive through water washing across the road, or across low water bridges. Your car could stall in the water and it requires only several centimetres of rapidly moving water to wash a car away.

Additional steps that the public can take to avoid damage to homes and property when storms strike include:

• If possible, make sure computers, TV’s, decoders and other equipment is disconnected from wall sockets to avoid damage caused by electricity surges due to lightning strikes;
• Check that roofs do not have broken or loose tiles that allow the entry of water during heavy downpours;
• Ensure that roof gutters are clean and unclogged, so that water does not accumulate and seep through roof tiles onto ceilings;
• Keep house windows shut, thereby reducing the chance of them being hit by hail or shattered by high winds.