Personal Injury Lawyers in San Francisco Offering Wet Road Driving Tips

With winter upon us, we are experiencing what is often the rainiest time of the year. With rain often comes wet roads. Unfortunately, wet, slick roads sometimes lead to accidents. Luckily, there are several things you can do to be a safer driver, even when the roads are wet.

• dir=”auto”>Make sure your windshield wipers are in good working order. Replace worn out or broken windshield wipers right away.
• dir=”auto”>Always use your windshield wipers when it is raining. To make yourself more visible to other drivers and so you can see better in the rain, be sure to use your headlights when driving in the rain. According to California’s Vehicle Code, your lights should be on whenever your windshield wipers are in continuous use.
• dir=”auto”>Never drive on worn out tires. Good tires may struggle to properly grip a slick road. Worn out tires will make the problem worse.
• dir=”auto”>Slow down when driving on slick roads and increase your following distance. Your vehicle may not stop as easily when the roads are wet.
• dir=”auto”>When visibility is limited or the roads are particularly wet, if possible, drive in the tracks of the vehicle in front of you.
• dir=”auto”>Avoid large puddles whenever possible. Puddles present a hydroplaning risk, especially if the puddle is deep. Plus, if the puddle is deep, there could be hidden debris in the water.
• dir=”auto”>If the road is completely flooded, when it is safe to do so, turn around and take a different route. If must proceed, do so slowly and carefully.
• dir=”auto”>Do not use your cruise control on wet roads. It can create a safety issue.
• dir=”auto”>If there are roads near your house or along your commute that often flood, you may want to adjust your route when it is raining or after a bad rainstorm.
• dir=”auto”>Sometimes you may need to pull off to the side of the road or into a parking lot if it is raining particularly hard. If you do have to pull off the road, find a safe location. Avoid stopping along the side of a freeway or somewhere else where another driver may not see your vehicle.

Unfortunately, even if you are a safe driver, others on the road may not practice proper precaution on wet roads. If you were injured in an accident caused by another driver on a wet road, contact us. At Mary Alexander & Associates, our personal injury lawyers in San Francisco are there to help you.