Basic radar usage videos are a great help on learning to avoid severe weather. Learning how to see the big picture, long range radar, and as you get closer use the shorter range to avoid the close stuff, using the tilt properly and gain control out of the auto mode should keep you safe. I have managed to get through a lot of really bad weather without any problems with what those videos teach. After 23,000 hours with no incidents flying the US and especially MIA and down south in the summer time feel common sense and radar knowledge should keep you safe. One time leaving Managua, Nicaragua I lost all radar when it started smoking in the cockpit. Turned it off but knew coming in there were thunderstorms on my route. I deviated off course as I did landing 2 hrs before but was in the clouds so did not know how things had changed and of course ATC had no radar. Another one of our AC was coming north from Costa Rica so I asked him to scan my airway and see if the deviation was adequate. He confirmed it was with his AC radar and all was well until Grand Cayman where the wall of cells extended all the way to mexico from cental Cuba. I rerouted over the eastern part of Cuba and was able to land at MIA visually avoiding cells. Guess that was my most marginal radar encounter. If used properly airborne radar should make it a safe flight.