The Dangers of Autumn Leaves on the Road

Although the changing of the leaves from summer to autumn looks nice, they can cause several problems for drivers. We know the leaves won’t remain on the branches too much longer, so when they land on the road, that’s when trouble begins.

Although many drivers may only think of snow, ice, and rain as the causes of skids, leaves that have fallen on the road contribute to this fact. The leaves don’t have to be wet for them to make an impact on the traction of vehicles and the loss of friction.

Understanding Traction

Let’s start with understanding traction. For your tires to gain traction on the road, they must have friction with that surface. Friction is a force that occurs when two or more things rub together. The frictional force between the road surface and the tire is what allows the tire to move along the road, causing the car to move forward. This is also referred to as rolling friction. The road surface characteristics can also affect the friction that a tire has while on the road.

Sliding and Skids

Once you place something between the road surface and your tires, you reduce the friction. Once you reduce the friction, you reduce the traction. Wet leaves on the road add to the loss of friction. The wet coating acts like an oily surface that stops the friction between the tires and the road. Although wet leaves seem to be the worst factor in losing traction, dry leaves can do the same thing. This is because the leaves are not attached to the road, they are easily moved as the tires rotate and move along the road surface. The movement of the leaves does not create friction and therefore, reduced traction.

Hidden Potholes

Sliding and skids are not the only problem that leaves can create while on the road. A large pile of leaves can hide potholes along the side of the road. After rainfall, the standing water and leaves can easily fill the pothole and disguise it from the normal road surface. Driving through a deep pothole can cause a fair bit of damage to your vehicle, including the suspension system, alignment, steering control, tires, and rims. Those issues are enough of a reason to avoid driving in a pothole as they can become very costly repairs.

Understanding of the Dangers

Now that there is an understanding of the dangers that the fallen autumn leaves on the road can create, let’s come up with a plan to avoid the dangers of driving through them.

• Reduce speed early and gradually when you’re approaching a lot of leaves that are near the stop position at the intersection. Slowing down early can allow you to avoid sliding into the intersection if you lose traction. Keep your speed reduced more than you would while on dry roads anytime you’re going around a curve or making a turn when you’re driving on wet or dry leaves.
• Slow down early to give yourself more space than usual when coming to a stop behind another vehicle. This may mean that you would have to increase your following distance while driving to 3 or 4 seconds in the city instead of the normal 2 to 3 seconds.
• Reduce your speed if the road is completely covered in leaves. Remember that speed limits are set for ideal conditions. Leaves – wet or dry across the road – are not ideal, nor is a wet road. Even if it hasn’t rained recently, early morning dew on the road can cause the leaves to be slipperier than normal without realizing it. 
• Gradually increase your speed when leaving a stopped position, especially if your vehicle is sitting on top of a pile of leaves. This will allow the tires to gain traction without spinning your wheels as you build up to cruising speed.
• Since the leaves reduce your traction, it would be wise to find a larger-than-normal traffic gap that you must drive through before turning across that path, especially while making a left turn. The larger gap in traffic will allow you to build your speed up more gradually while you steer onto the new road.
• Get a good set of tires. Your tires are your first defense in maintaining traction. Ensure you keep them properly inflated and maintained. Under-inflated and over-inflated tires provide less tread that is in contact with the road. Also, having proper tread depth will help to channel away any standing water that is around the leaves, which can provide you with more traction.
• If you begin to skid, avoid touching the brakes. The loss of vehicle control may cause a slight moment of panic, but take a deep breath, look, and steer where you want to go. You may need to abandon the turn you have intended and go around the block. Wheels pointing straight ahead can rotate better than wheels that are turned and help you get out of a skid.
• Expect the unexpected when children are near the side of the road. They often like to play in and around the leaves and may be running around without paying much attention to traffic. Create space and change lanes if you’re on a multiple-lane road. If you’re on a residential road, move your vehicle closer to the centre of the road, provided no oncoming vehicles are approaching close to you.

Be Aware of Wet Patches

When leaves fall on roadways, they often will stick together in slick wet patches. These wet leaves present a driving problem, similar to driving on black ice. If you hit a patch of these leaves, your vehicle will become harder to control, and the risk of sliding or spinning out will be increased.

Time for Winter Tires

When the temperature drops, the all-season tires become less useful. Although there may be lots of leaves on the road, colder temperatures mean that it’s time to have your winter tires installed. Winter tires are a softer rubber compound than all-season tires and can become better at maintaining traction during the colder autumn days.

Keeping these tips in mind during the autumn season can help you to maintain control of you vehicle in all types of conditions.