HEAVY rain today in Bolton has resulted in “lakes” of standing water forcing motorists to swerve to avoid them.

The rain is set to continue during the weekend and the RAC has offered the following advice for drivers:- • Size up the water first – even if it means you have to stop your car and get out (getting a bit wet is a lot better than being left stranded). If the water is muddy you might not be able to see the bottom and gauge its depth. Try and find a stick or an object to find the lowest point.

• If it’s clearly too deep for your car, or if you can’t tell how deep the water is, always find another way to your destination • If the water is shallow enough to drive through, try and spot any objects that may cause damage to your car’s wheels, tyres or suspension, potentially leaving you mid-puddle with a problem. This way you can pick a safe path across.

• Once you’ve confirmed you can drive through the water and determined your route, keep your vehicle in a low gear (second is generally adequate) and engine revs up. This will help you maintain momentum when you travel through.

• It’s always worthwhile to gently apply your brake pedal once you are clear of the water, creating some friction and therefore heat to evaporate off any excess moisture. Some vehicles can sense when you’ve navigated a puddle and automatically do this for you, keeping braking performance as effective as possible.