Rain and fog get all the attention, but three other conditions catch drivers out just as often: strong wind, low sun, and standing water. Each has a simple, calm response once you know it's coming.
Wind is strongest in open spaces and when you pass big vehicles or leave the shelter of a bridge. Hold the wheel a little more firmly and expect a nudge — especially around motorbikes, high-sided vans and when overtaking lorries.
Low sun — that blinding glare at dawn and dusk — and standing water both reward the same instinct: slow down. Use your visor or sun shade for glare, and go slow and steady through water, because deep water can lift your tyres clear of the road in a moment called aquaplaning.
The bits that matter
- Strong wind hits hardest in the open and when passing big vehicles — grip the wheel and expect a push.
- Low sun blinds — slow down, use the visor, keep your windscreen clean inside.
- Through standing water, go slow in a low gear; deep water can make you aquaplane.
Memory anchor
Slow, low and steady through water
Standing water across the road? Slow down, drop to a low gear, and keep a steady throttle through it. Slow, low and steady stops the water lifting your tyres off the road — then test your brakes gently once you're through.
Out on the road
Overtaking a lorry on a windy day
You pull out to pass a high-sided lorry in a strong crosswind. As you draw level the lorry blocks the wind — then the moment you clear its front, the gust hits full force and tugs the car sideways. A driver who expects it has already firmed their grip and barely wavers. The surprise is the only dangerous part.
The mistake everyone makes
Driving fast through a flooded patch
Hitting standing water at speed feels harmless until your steering goes light and unresponsive — that's aquaplaning, the tyres riding on water instead of road. Ease off, don't brake hard, and let the speed drop until the tyres bite again. You can't steer what isn't touching the road.