Wet Pavement And Speed Can Cause A Deadly Car Crash
Wet pavement and speed can be a deadly mix. A car traveling at 60 miles per hour, covering 90 feet of pavement per second on dry pavement, takes 360 feet to stop. On wet pavement, the stopping distance doubles to 600 feet.”During the first half hour of rain, roads are at their slickest because the rain water and oil from cars mix to create a
surface that’s almost as smooth as ice,” said Gary Douglass, Occupational Safety and Health program manager for Naval Station San Diego.
According to Douglass, the biggest danger for drivers is hydroplaning, especially for those people having vehicles with wide tires. ”When a car hydroplanes, it is literally skiing on water and has no contact with the pavement,” said Douglass. “People who have wide tires are especially apt to hydroplane. At speeds up to 50 miles per hour, it is very easy for almost any car to hydroplane and get into an accident.”
Douglass advises, that the best way to gain control of a hydroplaning car is for a driver to remove his or her foot from the accelerator and hold the steering wheel steady and straight.Once the car has begun to slow down, Douglass said, lightly tap the brakes to allow the tires to grip the pavement again, since slamming on brakes will cause the car to spin, and possibly
crash. Another car related problem during the rainy season is the stalling of vehicles. Many times, people drive through puddles and flooded roads, which causes automobiles to stall. This can be avoided by driving slowly through puddles and not driving through flooded roads.”If someone’s car does die, the only choice is to pull over, if possible, and allow the car to dry out,” said Douglass. “If the driver is unable to pull over, put the car in park, turn the ignition off and turn on the emergency flashers. Use any other emergency equipment available — such as flares or cones — so that other drivers will see them and avoid hitting your disabled car. Then, call for a tow truck.” The third biggest problem Douglass said, is wet brakes. Wet brakes don’t always work right away, so tap them lightly a few times to dry them out.
“Some safety tips I give are simply common sense,” Douglass said. “But for people who come from places that barely see precipitation, they have little or no knowledge of how to drive in the rain. They don’t think they have to change their driving habits and drive the way they normally do. Or, people who have driven on snow covered roads, believe that driving in the rain is hazard free.” Douglass recommends a pre-driving check before getting on the road and following these driving safety tips: slow down and increase stopping distance; ensuring that tires are properly inflated and the tread is good; and have properly working windshield wipers.
“Ask yourself how fast should you drive, how much should you increase your stopping distance and what you need to do to stay safe while on the road. Most importantly, be aware of others around you. “Driving in the rain doesn’t have to be a scary thing,” Douglass said. “But if people think they can drive any way they want to in any type of weather, they are wrong. We have enough accidents during rainy seasons to prove them wrong.”
If you’ve been involved in a car accident and have suffered lost wages, significant and permanent pain and suffering and medical bills contact South Florida personal injury lawyer David I. Fuchs at 800-570-2858 for a free case evaluation.