Drive with care in wet weather

RAA is reminding drivers to back off and leave space, as  the number of motorists fined for tailgating has increased.
This is a particularly important message now winter has arrived, bringing with it a higher chance of wet roads, spray from vehicles obscuring windscreens and other hazards.
Figures from SA Police show a 15 per cent rise in the number of drivers caught tailgating in the past five years, from 1216 fines worth $459,415 in 2016 to 1408 fines worth $582,515 in 2020.
Research by RAA Insurance also shows rear-end crashes are the most common collision type on South Australian roads.
"Drivers risk more than the current penalty of a $358 fine and $90 Victims of Crime levy if they failed to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front," RAA senior manager safety and infrastructure Charles Mountain said.
"Depending on the speed of impact, rear ending a vehicle could have catastrophic consequences for the occupants of all vehicles involved.
"Whether it may be a consequence of driver misjudgement or impatience, rear-end collisions are unfortunately all too common on our roads.
"Latest state government crash data shows rear-end collisions accounted for 27 per cent of all collisions on the state's roads between 2015 and 2019 -- much higher than right angle crashes, which were the next most common at 19 per cent."
Mr Mountain reminded drivers breaking distances were also significantly increased during wet weather.
"RAA road safety calculations show cars travelling at just 50km/h required almost 10 metres more stopping distance in the wet compared to dry conditions," he said.
"And the faster you are travelling the longer it takes to come to a stop in the wet, with potentially dangerous outcomes for all road users.
"Drivers must also be aware that pedestrians and cyclists can be harder to detect when it's raining."