A DRIVER has suffered injuries after crashing near Hengoed.

Gwent Police were called to respond to the incident this afternoon.

Nobody was seriously hurt, and the driver got away with minor injuries according to officers.

A spokesman on Twitter said: "Assisting with an RTC near Hengoed this afternoon, minor injuries luckily for this driver. #wetweather"

With Gwent experiencing heavy rain for much of the day, and with a warning of thunderstorms tomorrow, advice is being given on how best to deal with the difficult driving conditions.

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South Wales Fire and Rescue Service have issued the following advice:

  • Use headlights when visibility is reduced
  • Regularly check your windscreen wipers and renew them if they’re worn or damaged. Give yourself the best chance of being able to see clearly in wet weather.
  • Double the distance you leave between your car and the car in front of you, as stopping distances are increased by wet roads.
  • If steering becomes unresponsive due to the rain, ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually.

For those driving on flooded roads or in standing water, they added:

  • Don’t try driving through fast-moving water, such as at a flooded bridge approach – your car could easily be swept away.
  • Avoid standing water if you can and adjust your speed to the conditions.
  • Tyres can lose contact with the road which may result in you losing control of steering (also known as ‘aquaplaning’). If you do experience aquaplaning, hold the steering wheel lightly and lift off the throttle until the tyres regain grip.
  • Driving through water at speeds above a slow crawl can result in water being thrown onto pavements, soaking pedestrians or cyclists. You could face a hefty fine and between three and nine penalty points if the police believe you were driving without reasonable consideration for other road users.
  • If you should find yourself driving through standing water, use a low gear so the engine rev’s are higher; water in the exhaust could otherwise damage the catalytic convertor.
  • If you break down in heavy rain don’t prop the bonnet open while you wait for the patrol to arrive. The engine will be more difficult to start again if the electrics are all rain-soaked.