Florida Rain And The Accidents That Come With It

Though many only think of Florida as being a very sunny and warm place, it is actually a pretty rainy state. This can be especially true during hurricane season when rain and wind become a deadly force. However, hurricanes aren't the only dangerous weather condition. Even when it is simply raining outside, the roads can become a dangerous place. In Florida, rain has caused thousands of car accidents each year.

How Does Rain Impact Your Driving?

It may sound strange that a little wetness could effect your health and safety. However, it really is no laughing matter. Any kind of poor weather condition is likely to effect your ability to drive in one way or another and rain is certainly no exception. The main reasons why rain can impact your driving boils down to less visibility, slippery roads, and inexperienced drivers.

Less Visibility

During a rain storm, especially a heavy rain storm, it can be difficult for drivers to see other cars. Even cars that are rather close may be hard to notice at first. If that wasn't bad enough, all the mud created from the rain can easily be sprayed on to your windshield making it near impossible to see through. This lack of vision greatly impairs even the best of drivers and makes it challenging to avoid other vehicles.

Slippery Roads

Wet roads allow for less friction between the car's tires and the road. Due to this, it is often necessary to slow down when driving in order to avoid slipping and sliding around. This is especially true at the beginning of a rainstorm when it is most slippery. However, those who forget to account for the wet roads can easily find themselves losing control over their vehicle.

Inexperienced Drivers

Not everyone knows how to drive in rainy conditions. Some become more timid drivers and are afraid to drive altogether. These kinds of drivers have a tendency to overestimate the danger of poor weather conditions and end up driving at unreasonably slow speeds. You would think that driving slower would make the road safer. However, when someone is driving too slowly in the rain, it greatly increases the likelihood of another vehicle hitting them and causing a rear end accident.

Other drivers may end up being more reckless during poor weather conditions such as rain. These types of drivers may try to drive at full speed or more even when visibility is low and the roads are slippery. As you can imagine, this greatly endangers the driver's life as well as the lives of those around them. Not being able to see or slow down, they are likely to hit someone with little time to react.

Tips For Driving In The Rain

Slow down! Though being too slow can cause more harm than good, it is still necessary to slow down when driving in the rain. Otherwise, you will easily slip and slide all over the road.

Turn on your headlights! In Florida, it is a law to turn on your lights during rain. Not doing so can be dangerous for you and other drivers because it makes you harder to see.

Do not brake suddenly! Any sudden or unexpected braking could cause skidding and a loss of control of the vehicle. Instead slow down a bit before a stop to account for the lack of friction.

Defog your windows! Your car windows may fog during the rain which can greatly lower your visibility. In order to defog the windshield, keep you air conditioning blowing at the windshield and back window. Some cars even come with a defog function that will do this for you with the press of the defog button.

Keep your distance! Make sure to keep more distance between you and the other drivers than normal. Even if your both being careful, it is easy for both of you to end up slipping and sliding a bit. In order to avoid harming one another, make sure to keep some distance.

You can always pull over! If you really do not feel comfortable driving during a rain storm, you can always pull over and wait it out. It may feel silly to do so, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

If you have been in a car accident and need legal assistance, don't hesitate to contact us! Here at All Injuries Law Firm, we have over 30 years of experience dealing with insurance companies and knowing how to get you the financial compensation you need.