While you may believe that driving at a consistent speed in rain or snow will increase your safety, driving with cruise control when the roads are wet may actually be more dangerous. The system’s sensors may be affected by the moisture, which means they may not be as reliable, says Edmunds. Additionally, you may not have the same traction as you would without cruise control. For example, when you take your foot off the gas to step on the brake, some of the car’s weight shifts to the front tires — providing a little more traction. With the cruise control on, you won’t have that shift and may not be able to gain traction as quickly as needed, according to Edmunds. Because cruise control is only disabled when you apply your brakes, it is best to turn it off before the roads are wet.

With so much talk about traction surrounding all-wheel drive (AWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles, it can be easy to think that these features will mean better braking. But as Consumer Reports notes, AWD and 4WD are designed to help with traction and acceleration. Neither AWD or 4WD are designed to improve a vehicle’s braking capabilities, and you’ll still need as much time and distance to stop as you would in a two-wheel drive vehicle.

With so much information (and misinformation) available today, it can be hard to decipher fact from fiction. Be sure to do a little research before you buy into what may be an automotive myth.