In some parts of the world, there will be cases that you have to pass through knee-deep floods in the streets. Your first instinct would be to drive fast so that you don’t have to worry about your engine conking out due to water intake. However, once you get through, do remember that you have to check everything and this includes your brakes.

Now the question is how do you do it. Not until you are free from the flooded areas would you even consider checking your breaks. But normally, it would be best to check your brakes if they will stick by pumping on the break pedal repeatedly. If your car brakes respond by stopping on one stomp, then you are good. But if you notice that your brakes are not responding, just keep on pumping that brake pedal until it stabilizes again.

Experienced drivers know this for sure. But for the sake of new drivers who are not yet fully exposed to such contingency measures when passing by flooded areas, this is a simple tip for safety as well.

There is no telling how fast you would want to get home especially during rainy days but while you can drive as fast as you can, make sure that you can stop at the right time. Accidents happen and one of the things that really has to be addressed is how consistent your brakes truly are.

First, if you are driving and the temperature gauge begins to rise out of the normal, turn off the air conditioning to lower the strain on the engine and see if that remedies the problem. Get to a gas station to have it checked for it might be a sure sign of a deeper problem with respect to the engine’s cooling system. Driving on a blistering hot day in traffic with the air conditioner should not cause any concern for newer cars which still have new components but for older cars, that might be too much for the old-clunker to handle.

If that does not lower the temperature of the engine, drive to the nearest gas station for assistance. With some luck, they might have a mechanic on duty that can easily get you back on the road. If you just happen to have a back-up supply of water in the trunk, drive to the side of the road so you can safely diagnose the problem but “DO NOT TURN OFF THE ENGINE” if you intend to add water to the radiator. Any radiator fluid or water dripping from the hoses, engine or from any part of the cooling system can be a sure sign of a hose break or a leak in the many rubber plugs that covers unused hose ports on the engine.