1. A method for determining a wet surface condition of a road, the method comprising the steps of: capturing an image of a road surface by an image capture device of the host vehicle, the image capture device mounted on a side of the host vehicle and capturing an image in a downward direction; identifying in the captured image, by a processor, a region of interest rearward of the wheel of the host vehicle, the region of interest representative of where rearward splash as generated by the wheel occurs; determining whether precipitation is present in the region of interest; and generating a wet road surface signal in response to the identification of precipitation in the region of interest.