The Rainy Season is Here: Check Out These Three Tips for Staying Safe on the Road

Taking a long road trip through Florida’s breathtaking terrain can be an enjoyable, scenic, and relaxing experience. However, with Florida’s tropical climate, rain may pop up on your blissful road trip without even a moment’s notice. When traveling through Florida’s tropical paradise during Florida’s rainy season, especially when planning for a long road trip, keep in mind certain road safety tips to keep you and your passengers safe. The Florida accident lawyers at Searcy Denney provide three rain safety tips below to help keep you and your family safe during Florida’s rainy season.

Rain Safety Tip #1: Keep an Eye Out on the Weather Forecast 

An important tip is to keep a close eye out on the weather forecast. Knowing whether you are in for a sunny Florida day or a rainy monsoon can help you plan your trip accordingly. If you can avoid driving in dangerous and slick weather conditions on Florida’s busy roadways, you can reduce your risk of getting into an accident.   

A great way to keep up on current and future weather conditions is to set alerts on your phone from the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS is dedicated to notifying the public through warnings when a serious weather condition is on its way. You also may consider getting alerts from your local weather stations so you can plan your road trips accordingly. Planning in advance and keeping an eye out on the weather forecast can help keep you and your family safe when traveling.

Rain Safety Tip #2: Prepare in Advance for Your Road Trip

Even with advance planning and checking the local weather forecast to plan your trip around dangerous weather, if you are planning a long road trip, you still could run into rain showers or even a storm.  

To stay safe when it starts raining cats and dogs during your trip, consider the steps below that you can take to stay safe on rain-slick roads:

• Slow down when rain hits the roads.  An important tip for staying safe when rain hits the roads is to slow down. Many drivers forget this. Numerous accidents that caused serious injuries and even fatalities could have been prevented had drivers just simply slowed down.
• Keep your lights on during a rain shower to increase your visibility.  When driving during a heavy rain or thunderstorm, visibility can be difficult even when the storm hits during the day. Be sure to turn on your headlights to increase your visibility and to help ensure that other drivers can see you. 
• Keep an emergency supply kit in your car.  Keeping an emergency supply kit in your car is always a good practice. You never know when an emergency will occur. An emergency supply kit can help you address injuries immediately until emergency medical help arrives.
• Maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicles ahead of you.  In addition to slowing down during a rainy weather episode, increase the distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you. Rain slick roads can cause tires to lose traction and skid when you hit the brakes. Increasing the distance between your vehicle and the vehicles ahead of you can help give you some extra time to be able to stop in the event vehicles ahead of you stop suddenly. 
• Know when it’s time to pull over and take a break when the weather intensifies. When the weather makes visibility difficult to impossible, it may be time to pull over to a safe location and wait out the storm.  According to the American Red Cross, “If you are driving [during a thunderstorm], try to safely exit the roadway and park. Stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside the vehicle.”

Unfortunately, even if you drive safely during a Florida tropical rain event, other drivers don’t always follow suit. When other drivers on the road are driving dangerously during a storm, accidents can happen. If you suffered serious injuries from an accident that occurred on rain-slick roads during Florida’s rainy season, the experienced Florida injury lawyers at Searcy Denney are here to help with your case. Our personal injury lawyers have decades of experience and are trained to help clients recover the compensation they are entitled to for the injuries they sustained in an accident caused by a negligent party. If you have questions about the legal remedies available for the injuries you sustained from your personal injury case, call us today for a free case evaluation with one of our Florida injury lawyers today.

Rain Safety Tip #3: Check Your Vehicle Before Departing on a Road Trip

Before you depart on your next road trip, be sure to have your vehicle inspected to ensure that your vehicle is safe. Driving a defective vehicle on a long road trip when a storm pops up can be dangerous. Even the smallest mechanical failure can create difficulties in staying safe during a rainstorm. For example, when the rain hits the road, having defective brakes could make stopping on rain-slick roads difficult, leading to an accident that could be prevented. Make sure your brakes, tires, windshield wipers, and headlights, among other important items, are all in pristine working condition. Keeping your vehicle maintained and in good order can go a long way to keeping you and your passengers safe during the rainy season. Lastly, don’t forget to fill your tank up with gas before you leave on your trip. You do not want to run out of gas in the middle of a rainstorm.  

Contact a Florida Accident Lawyer at Searcy Denney for a Free Case Evaluation 

If you experienced an accident during Florida’s rainy season, contact a Florida accident lawyer at Searcy Denney today for assistance. Our attorneys have decades of experience with personal injury cases and understand the hazards that rain-slick roads prevent. At our firm, we fight for our clients and will go to trial if necessary.  Contact us to schedule your free consultation. We have offices conveniently located in Tampa,  West Palm Beach and Tallahassee. We work on a contingency fee basis.