April showers might be coming to an end but it remains far from guaranteed that drivers up and down the country will not have wet roads to contend with over the coming months.

As a result, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has taken it upon itself to offer some salient advice to UK road users, urging them to stay safe and act responsibly when they are faced with wet and changeable conditions while out and about.

Hazards can be harder to define when conditions become darker during periods of heavy rain and the road surface itself can become more slippery. It is therefore important for drivers to respond appropriately to these changes and to reduce their speed.

The IAM advises that driver need to be more aware of what is happening on the road ahead when faced with less favourable conditions and they must remember that braking distances can be doubled in the wet.

As a result, drivers should leave a greater distance between themselves and other cars on the road, as well as planning their manoeuvres further ahead, giving them more time to react in case of danger.

Prior to embarking, individuals planning journeys should check the weather forecast for the areas they are driving to and be prepared for the potential of wet weather, especially given the changeable nature of the British climate.

It can be sunny one minute and raining cats and dogs the next. Drivers therefore always need to be ready to face the additional hazards of driving in the rain.

Vehicle maintenance is also an area motorists will want to keep on top of to ensure they face the lowest possible risks when taking to the roads in wet weather, as issues like badly worn tyres or poor visibility as a result of worn out wiper blades can be serious problems.

A lack of tread depth can have a considerable impact on braking distances and handling, as well as making it more likely to suffer from issues like aquaplaning, where the tread of the wheel loses its ability to displace sufficient water to keep the tyre in contact with the road.

Aquaplaning can be a common problem for individuals when faced with particularly damp roads and knowing what to do to regain control of the vehicle can be an essential part of helping motorists to avoid accidents when this happens.

The first thing they should do is ease off on the accelerator and avoid the temptation to brake hard, as this can lead to the tyre simply losing more grip. Drivers need to gradually reduce their speed and wait for the tyres to engage with the road surface again. Once this happens, they should ensure they are steering in the direction of travel and reapply the power.

Individuals will know they are aquaplaning when their steering becomes extremely light and unresponsive, this means the surface of the tyres are no longer in contact with the road and are in fact skating on a thin layer of surface water – remaining calm and following the aforementioned advice is essential at these times.

Motorists should also use their local knowledge to avoid any routes that are traditionally prone to flooding or being more hazardous during wet weather.

When faced with a flooded road, drivers should look for alternative routes when possible and never venture into waters that they are not sure of the depth.

Indeed, just one foot of flood water can be enough to cause a small car to float, leaving drivers and passengers stranded and in danger of being caught in the floodwaters themselves. While looking for alternative routes can be more time consuming, this is a far better outcome.

Finally, IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger advised: "Driving in heavy rain can be very hazardous as people don’t allow for the increased time and distance needed to respond in these conditions.

"Read the road ahead and allow time to react – and your journey should be plain sailing."