Driving in the rain: wet-weather tips for Perth learners
Perth winters hit hard and fast. Here is how to drive safely in wet conditions as a learner — before, during, and after the storm.
Perth summers are dry, but the winter storms between May and September are a genuine test — sheet rain on the Kwinana Freeway, flooded dips around Canning Vale, glare off wet bitumen at peak hour. Wet-weather lessons are some of the most valuable hours you will bank.
Before you leave
- Check wipers are streak-free
- Top up washer fluid
- Check tyre tread — under 3mm is trouble in rain
- Turn headlights on, even by day
- Demist both windscreens before you move
Following distance doubles
The three-second rule becomes six seconds in rain. Tyres grip less, bitumen is slipperiest in the first 15 minutes of rain as oil rises to the surface, and other drivers brake harder.
Aquaplaning
If your steering goes light, ease off the accelerator, hold the wheel straight, do not brake hard, and wait for the tyres to reconnect. It happens most in heavy downpours on the Mitchell and Kwinana Freeways.
Visibility tricks
- Use low-beam headlights, never high-beam in rain
- Pull over safely and wait out heavy cells — Perth storms are usually short
- Clean the inside of your windscreen to prevent film buildup
Flooded streets
If you cannot see the road surface under the water, do not drive through it. As little as 30 cm of moving water can float a small car. Take the long way.
PDA in the rain
Your PDA is not cancelled for rain unless genuinely dangerous. Assessors expect you to adapt — slower speed, longer gaps, headlights on. Showing you noticed the conditions is a credit, not a mark against you.
