A strong winter storm dumped heavy rain across Southern California this morning, flooding roads and snarling traffic after a series of crashes. With slick roads causing a traffic nightmare across L.A. County, here's your guide on how to drive in the rain:
For those unaccustomed to Southern California’s aggressively sunny climate, it’s hard to understand how even small amounts of rain can cause big problems on the roads. The Times archives are filled with headlines like this one from 1988: “SigAlerts and Clogged Freeways: A Little Rain Spawns Lots of Accidents.”
Many explanations have been offered over the years: grease-slicked roadways, drivers who insist on speeding, ignorance about windshield wiper maintenance. But officials say a few basic practices can help commuters get through.“If your windshield wipers are on, you should have your headlights on,” CHP Officer Juan Galvan said.Not only do headlights help the driver see potential hazards ahead, they also help other people see the vehicle, Galvan said.
How can a driver tell how fast is too fast? Don’t outpace the flow of traffic, Madison said, and “if you feel you’re not adhering to the road very well, if you’re slipping and sliding, that’s a clue.” Also, make sure not to drive so fast that rain collects on the windshield faster than the wipers can clear it away, Galvan said.It takes longer for vehicles to stop on wet roads, so leave even more distance than usual between your car and the one ahead, Galvan said.“Don’t be the first one to drive through it, and don’t follow another vehicle -- just because they make it doesn’t mean you’re going to make it,” Galvan said.
“Your engine can stall and then you’ll be stuck in there. If it’s a strong current, you might even get swept through that water.”Do preventive maintenance to minimize the odds of breaking down and becoming part of an accident, Galvan said. Before heading out in the rain, he said, replace the windshield wiper blades if needed and check the vehicle’s tires and fluids.“In the summer months, all the heat is hard on the rubber,” he said.
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