PORTLAND, Maine — It's that time of year. Leaves are changing colors before inevitably falling onto yards, roofs, and roads. We all love the leaves, and they're a sign of the season, but they can also make for dangerous driving conditions.
Lets take a look at a few different scenarios: driving on dry roads, wet roads, or roads covered with wet leaves.
We all know how a vehicle stops on a regular day on a dry road. We know to take it slower when it's raining as well. That's because the water decreases a vehicle's friction, which means a vehicle requires more distance to come to a complete stop. When wet leaves are on the road, it can become even more slick. You may have heard people say driving on wet leaves makes the road "slick as ice," and they're not wrong.
It can take up to 250 feet to stop when driving 40 miles per hour on wet leaves as compared to 80 feet on a dry road. That's quite a bit of extra distance that's required to slow the moving vehicle.
Leaves have a waxy coating on them. When water gets between that waxy coating and your car, it significantly decreases friction.
Leaves can also cause issues by clogging drains. The leaves and any debris can clog a drain, which can cause standing water on the road, creating more issues for drivers.
Enjoy the leaves as they fall, just make sure to slow down on the roads and clear your drains.
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