While taking your Toyota hybrid out for a spin on a rainy day isn’t particularly dangerous, it still requires more caution than driving on dry roads. Water comes between your tires and the road, and it can change the traction you’ll experience even in small amounts. By paying attention to the following tips, you’ll be sure to keep your vehicle safe no matter how wet the roads get.

When cars drove down the road, small bits of oil and exhaust are left behind. These substances add up over time, making the road slightly slicker than it was when it was first paved. While you may not notice this on your average drive, the road is actually a bit slicker in the first few minutes of a rainstorm. The oil rises to the top of the water, adding an additional, and extra slick, layer between your tires and the road. While you don’t need to slow to a crawl, you should be aware of this extra slickness and take precautions. Leave extra room between your Toyota hybrid and the next car, and take extra time to slow down and to stop.

A slick road isn’t as dangerous as water that leads to hydroplaning in your Toyota hybrid, however. Hydroplaning, or aquaplaning, is a dangerous condition where water gets between your wheels and the road, removing all traction. When you drive in the rain, of course there is some water between your Toyota hybrid and the pavement. This reduces the amount of friction between the tires and the road. With hydroplaning, however, so much traction is gone that the driver can lose control of their car, and not have enough actual tire touching the road to maintain control.

So, what should you do if you hydroplane? Try gently easing your foot off of the gas pedal. You don’t want to move the steering wheel or to brake, as this could cause you to skid dangerously. Just slowly reduce speed by loosening up on the accelerator of your Toyota hybrid, and work your way to gradually recovering control. If you must brake, do it gently by very lightly tapping the brakes over and over until you can come to a stop.

As you can see, driving in the rain has its hazards. It may not be as dangerous as driving on ice, but it still requires some caution. Take your time and pay attention to the road, and you’ll be sure to get to your destination intact.