How to drive in the rain

Driving in the rain is a tricky thing, especially if you're not comfortable with adverse weather conditions. like the Inuit peoples having many names fro snow we too in Seattle have many names for rain, and each one has specific driving requirements. From misting, to dumping I'll give you some hand tips how to make it safely to your destination without killing someone else. Tip one always have the headlights of the car on, even at high noon.

Misting is the very light rain that is heavier than fog but not quite enough to really justify the lowest setting on the windshield wipers. The best way to drive in this  weather is to just drive like normal, the roads aren't going to be wet or slick enough to have any major hydroplaning so treat it like any normal day.
Sprinkling is when its not quite coming down hard enough to warrant a full on rain jacket or umbrella, but still raining none the less. The roads here can be a little slick but its the other drivers that need to be watched. since it doesn't really take much skill to drive in a sprinkle.
Raining is when it starts to get tricky.the roads are slick other drivers start to panic and refuse to look away from directly in front of themselves so they never check their mirrors of blind spots. So be prepared to be cut off and put through lasting emotional distress.
Pouring is one of those things that if you've never done, just don't. This is when the highest setting on the windshield wipers doesn't even make a noticeable difference in the viability. If you're easily scared or distressed don't drive in it you'll just be a whole bundle of nerves

Skidding and hydroplaning are quite scary. No one likes losing control of their vehicle. Hydroplaning for those who don't know is when the car slides on a thin layer of water between the road and the tires. This happens when  the water in front of there tire builds up faster than the car's weight can push it away and the water pressure causes the car to rise up on the the thin layer. A smart and defensive driver will adjust their speed to account for the rainy weather conditions, however I'll give a few tips just in case.

To prevent skidding drive slowly on curves especially. brake lightly, never lock the wheels or brake hard. If you start to skid, as silly as this may sound stay calm. ease off the gas and carefully steer the front of the car into the direction you want the front of the car to go. If you  don't have anti-lock brakes avoid braking  just remove the gas and steer into the skid.

To keep from hydroplaning make sure tires are correctly inflated, have good tread, stay away from puddles and try to drive in the tire tracks of any vehicles in front of you. However if you are hydroplaning don't brake or turn suddenly, that could cause a skid. ease  off of the gas until the car slows and you can feel the road again. if you need to brake do it gently with light pumps, or if you have anti-lock brakes just brake normally, the computer will pump the breaks automatically.

Hope it helps and drive safely.