Texas Weather
Texas weather can sometimes feel like a roulette wheel in a Las Vegas casino. They may predict the weather but what it has in store for us is anyone’s guess. A chance of rain in Texas can mean anything from a light drizzle to a flash flood, or just a humid cloudy day.
Days of continuing rainstorms usually catch us off guard leaving us scrambling to get the necessary supplies to deal with it. Stores may run out of umbrellas and windshield wipers, but what about our driving habits? Most of us like to complain that drivers in San Antonio drive faster during a rain storm and log jams of traffic start to fill up the highways with fender benders and car wrecks.
According to AAA, wet roads are responsible for 1.2 million traffic accidents a year. A car accident can lead to unexpected problems and may require the assistance of a car crash lawyer. That is why one should take the time to understand just how dangerous wet roads are and how a driver should adapt their driving style to insure they get home safe.
Hydroplaning in Bad Weather
Having good tread on your tires is vital for safety and can help prevent you from hydroplaning on wet roads, but how do you regain control of your vehicle if it starts to hydroplane?
When a vehicle starts to lose traction on the road you will feel the steering wheel go light when the front tires are no longer touching the pavement and are gliding over a thin layer of water. If the rear wheels lose traction you’ll feel the back of the vehicle begin to move side to side. The back-end becomes unstable and will start to skid.
What NOT To Do
- DON’T slam on the brakes!
- DON’T make sharp turns with your steering wheel!
First instinct when a vehicle starts to get loose and out of control is to hit the brakes. However, you must resist the urge to slam on your brakes.
Hard braking while hydroplaning can cause your vehicle to go into a skid causing you to lose all traction and possibly crash. The correct thing to do is to stay calm and ease off the gas while keeping the steering wheel straight until you feel the steering become heavy again when your tires regain traction, or you’re traveling slow enough brake to a stop. If you feel that you are traveling too fast and need to stop to prevent an accident you can apply the brakes by pressing the pedal smooth but firmly to allow the vehicle’s Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) to slow you down. If your vehicle does not have ABS then pump the brakes firmly and repeatedly to avoid lock up and skidding. This will mimic what ABS does and slow you down faster than locking up the brakes and sliding into the nearest object for a crash.
Controlling a Skid
Sometimes hydroplaning can happen quickly and your vehicle can start to skid before you have a chance to prevent it. Don’t panic. It is possible to regain control of a skidding car. When your vehicle starts to lose control you follow similar steps as with hydroplaning. Don’t slam on your brakes and avoid jerking the steering wheel in an attempt to regain control.
Instead, practice what is coined as, “steering into the skid” where you turn the wheel in the direction you wish to go. Do not turn the wheel to full lock because the vehicle may swing around and you won’t be able to turn the wheel fast enough to counter it and you will spin out. Remember to look at where you want to go and not where you are heading while turning into the skid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BdYu106qHM
Turn Around Don’t Drown
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than half of all flood-related drownings happen when a vehicle is driven into flood waters.
The National Weather Service states that it only takes 12 inches of rushing water to carry away most typical small cars and another added foot of water to carry away most vehicles. Does not matter if your vehicle has off-road capabilities or All Wheel Drive they are no match for Mother Nature. It is never safe to drive or walk through flood waters, no matter how shallow it may look.
Avoiding an car accident means walking away from a possible nightmare of financial headache, but sometimes life can throw you a curve ball. You may be a safe driver but the car next you may have a bad habit of texting and driving. Car crash lawyers are not only to here to protect you from insurance companies but from unsafe driver’s as well. Don’t let the irresponsibly of others affect the rest of your life. If you are the victim of an car accident and find yourself too injured to go back to work call a car crash lawyer for help. They’re job is to make sure you get what you deserve which is peace of mind.
The 4’s Are With You!
Bad weather can bring bad luck with it and accidents can happen. Should you find yourself in need of a personal injury lawyer, you can always contact us at (210) 444-4444, (956) 444-4444 or (361) 444-4444.. Davis Law Firm is standing by 24/7 to listen to your case! Our team of legal representatives offer free consultation so there is no risk in calling. Don’t suffer another day and contact us today!