As snow turns to slush, winter turns to spring. Safe onroad driving requires consideration of road conditions. Wet roads can factor in vehicle crashes, but with a few defensive driving tips, they can be avoided.

1. Before it starts to rain, replace old or brittle wiper blades.
2. Check all of the vehicle's light bulbs to make sure they are working.
3. Stay toward the middle lanes-water tends to pool in outside lanes.
4. Maintain proper following distance (three-second rule). This needs to be increased in wet weather.
5. Drive in the tracks of a vehicle ahead of you.
6. Don't follow large trucks too closely—the spray created by their large tires can reduce vision.
7. Be more alert watching for brake lights in front of you.
8. Avoid using your brakes; if possible, take your foot off the accelerator to slow down.
9. Turn your headlights on anytime you feel the need to use your wipers, in a light rain and in gloomy, foggy, or overcast conditions, to help you see the road and help other drivers see you.
10. Don't use cruise control on rain soaked roadways—you'll have better control in wet weather without it.
11. Never drive through moving water if you can't see the ground through it; your vehicle could be swept off the road.
12. Watch out for places where floodwater collects, particularly low-lying roads adjacent to streams, and dips under rail or highway bridges.
13. Avoid driving through deep water, because it can cause serious damage to a modern vehicle's electrical system.
14. If possible, stay off the road during heavy thunderstorms. Large flashes of lightning can temporarily blind and disorient drivers, and the accompanying high winds and heavy rain can create deadly driving conditions.
15. When you need to stop or slow, do not brake hard or lock the wheels and risk a skid. Maintain mild pressure on the brake pedal.

Just like saving pennies, cautious, defensive driving in the rain is a good investment.

"We see thousands of accidents every year involving vehicles that wrecked in rainy conditions," said Dan Bailey, president and COO of CARSTAR Collision Centers. "This represents millions of dollars in damage that could be avoided with some careful driving. If drivers would just slow down and be extra cautious when it's raining or roads are wet, they could dramatically reduce their chances of being in a costly wreck."

If you find yourself hydroplaning or skidding:
1. Do not brake or turn suddenly.
2. Ease your foot off the gas until the vehicle slows and you can feel traction on the road again;.
3. Turn your steering wheel in the direction of the skid. As you recover control, gently straighten the wheels.
4 If you need to brake, do it gently with light pumping action. Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, then brake normally. Because the vehicle's computer will mimic a pumping action.

These tips were compiled by CARSTAR Collision Centers, nation's largest chain of collision repair shops.