Driving in Rain: DVSA Skill 25 — Adverse Weather Guide
Rain is one of the most common adverse conditions UK drivers face, yet it dramatically changes the physics of driving — braking distances nearly double on a wet road compared to dry tarmac. DVSA Skill 25 covers the full range of adverse weather conditions, and examiners assess whether you genuinely adapt your driving or simply carry on as if the conditions have not changed. Understanding the science behind wet-weather driving will help you pass your test and stay safe long after.
What Examiners Look For
Examiners assessing Skill 25 are watching for an appropriate and consistent response to the conditions present during your test. They are not expecting you to slow to a crawl in light drizzle, but they are expecting you to demonstrate awareness that the road surface and visibility have changed.
The most common thing examiners note is a failure to increase following distance. In wet conditions, many learners continue using the two-second rule as if it were dry outside. An examiner who sees you sitting one second behind a vehicle in heavy rain will mark a serious fault. The four-second rule in rain is not optional.
Wiper usage is also assessed. If your wipers are set too slow for the amount of rain falling, your visibility is compromised and the examiner can see that. Conversely, wipers screaming across a barely-damp screen look equally wrong. Match your wiper speed to the rainfall.
Fog light usage catches many learners out. Using rear fog lights when visibility is perfectly fine is a minor fault — but a notable one, because it tells the examiner you do not understand what fog lights are for. Equally, not using them in genuine fog (visibility under 100m) is a fault. Know the rule and apply it correctly.
Speed reduction in adverse conditions is the overarching theme. Whether it is rain, fog, ice, or bright low sun, the examiner is watching to see if your speed reflects the reduced safety margin available to you.
The 5 DVSA Levels for Driving in Adverse Weather
Level 1: Introduced
You are aware that wet roads require more caution but have not yet developed the instincts to apply this automatically.
Level 2: Helped
Your instructor needs to point out wet road hazards to you and remind you to increase following distance or reduce speed.
Level 3: Prompted
You respond correctly when conditions are pointed out but do not yet proactively adapt — for example, you adjust following distance when your instructor mentions it but do not do so automatically.
Level 4: Independent
You consistently increase following distance in rain, adjust your speed appropriately, use wipers correctly, and manage fog lights without any prompting.
Level 5: Reflection
You are at test-ready standard. You read the conditions ahead, pre-emptively adapt your following distance and speed, use all controls correctly, and can explain why each adaptation is necessary. You approach adverse conditions with calm competence rather than anxiety.
Wet Weather Driving Technique
The most important concept in wet-weather driving is stopping distance. In dry conditions at 30mph, your total stopping distance (thinking distance plus braking distance) is approximately 23 metres. In wet conditions, that extends to around 36 metres — a 56% increase. At 70mph on a motorway in the rain, total stopping distance is around 96 metres rather than 75 metres dry. The four-second following distance rule in rain is calibrated to account for this.
Aquaplaning occurs when your tyres cannot displace water fast enough and begin to ride on a layer of water rather than gripping the road surface. It happens most commonly between 30-50mph on flooded roads, and the warning sign is that steering suddenly feels light and unresponsive. The instinct to brake is wrong — hard braking on aquaplaning tyres makes the situation worse. Ease off the accelerator, hold the wheel straight, and wait for grip to return.
Tyre tread depth matters more in the rain than in the dry. The minimum legal tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, but safety organisations recommend replacing tyres at 3mm. With worn tyres, aquaplaning begins at much lower speeds.
Fog is its own category within adverse weather. The 100-metre visibility rule for fog lights is specific — if you can see the lights of a vehicle 100 metres ahead clearly, your fog lights should be off. If you cannot, they should be on. Front fog lights can be used in reduced visibility but are optional. Many drivers leave rear fog lights on after fog clears, which dazzles following drivers and masks your brake lights.
Ice and snow require the most dramatic speed reductions. Stopping distances on ice can be ten times longer than on dry roads. Brake gently and early, avoid harsh steering inputs, and select the highest gear that allows you to maintain control — this reduces wheelspin. If your vehicle begins to skid, steer into the skid (towards the direction the rear is sliding) and ease off the accelerator without braking.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
| Mistake | Why It Happens | The Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Not increasing following distance in rain | Habit from dry-weather driving | Make it a habit to say “four seconds” when rain starts and check your gap |
| Wipers set too slow for conditions | Not noticing the screen is smearing | Check wiper effectiveness every time rain intensity changes |
| Leaving fog lights on after fog clears | Forgetting to turn them off | Make a habit of checking fog lights every time visibility improves noticeably |
| Braking hard when aquaplaning | Panic response | Practise the mantra: ease off, hold straight, wait for grip |
| Driving at normal speed in fog | Misjudging visibility distance | Test yourself — if you cannot read a number plate at 20m, visibility is poor |
Practice Tips
Experience different rain intensities deliberately. Do not cancel lessons in rain — this is exactly the condition you need to practise in. Ask your instructor to find roads where you can experience light drizzle, moderate rain, and heavy downpours.
Check your following distance actively in wet conditions. Use a fixed point (a lamp post, a road marking) and count the seconds from when the car ahead passes it until you do. In rain, you want four seconds minimum.
Practise fog light switching. Ask your instructor to role-play a fog scenario so you can practise turning rear fog lights on and off correctly. This takes the hesitation out of it during a real test.
Learn your car’s traction control behaviour. Many modern cars have stability control that intervenes in skids. Know whether your training car has this and whether it can be switched off, so you understand what the car is doing in slippery conditions.
Drive slowly through standing water. If you cannot see the bottom of a puddle, drive through it at walking pace in first gear. Driving fast through deep water can cause aquaplaning, damage the engine (hydrolocking), and create a bow wave that floods other vehicles.
Track Your Progress
After each lesson in adverse weather conditions, rate yourself against the DVSA 1-5 scale for Skill 25. Consistent Level 4 performance — adapting your driving independently to whatever conditions you encounter — is the benchmark for test readiness. Your instructor should be formally logging this as part of your structured training.
Related Skills
- Night Driving: DVSA Skill 24 — reduced visibility at night requires the same adaptive approach as adverse weather
- Driving with Passengers: DVSA Skill 26 — vehicle loading affects handling in wet conditions even more than in dry