It’s that time of the year again. The leaves are turning different colors, commercials for Christmas shopping have appeared on TV and bad weather causes havoc on the roadways.

Rain is one weather condition that can cause trouble for drivers.

Rain can cause a driver to not have clear visibility.

Even with the help of windshield wipers, the rain may be too much for the wipers to handle.

Having bad visibility makes it harder for drivers to see other vehicles on the road and any obstacles that might be in the way.

Friction can be an issue for car tires in wet conditions.

Wet roads will cause the tire to lose friction. This can cause the tire to spin too much and cause loss of vehicle control.

Bill Van Tassel, manager of driver training programs for AAA, mentions how much tire traction drivers can lose in wet weather.

“You might lose about one-third of your traction,” Van Tassel said.

Joseph Fewell, a sophomore graphic design major, talks about how important it is to drive safely in bad weather.

“At some point in your life, you will be driving in bad weather,” Fewell said.

Driving slower is one way to be safer in wet weather conditions.

A slower rate of speed will allow a driver to keep better control of the car in the event something does go wrong.

Having good situational awareness can also help in bad driving conditions.

Tim Cain, a junior kinesiology major, mentions that other drivers can be the real danger when bad weather strikes.

“You have to watch everybody else,” Cain said.

Bad weather is bound to strike, and having good driving habits can help keep more drivers safe.