An atmospheric river storm hit Sonoma County hard the other day. Storms can obscure vision and cause roads to become slippery and dangerous. While we must remember to drive cautiously in such weather, sometimes accidents do happen. If you get caught in a minor, not injury accident, while it is raining outside, here is what you should do…
Pull Over
As you would in any accident, pull over on the road if you can. Signal the other driver to pull into a parking lot somewhere where you two can talk under some protection from the rain. If there is no other driver, judge the safety of your situation and get off the road as soon as possible.
Exchange Information
If there was another driver involved in the accident, exchange information. While it may be tempting to speed through the discussion to get out of the rain, do not drive away until you have the following information:
- Name
- Address
- Phone number
- Email address
- Make, model and year of the car
- License plate number
- Insurance carrier
- Insurance policy number
Even though the situation might be scary, do not get upset or accusatory about the encounter. Exchange the necessary information and go your way.
If You Can’t Drive…
If your accident was so damaging that you cannot even move your car out of the road, call the police to the scene.
If you can no longer drive because you are too shaken up or have judged the driving conditions to be too hazardous to keep going, you have a few options.
First, make sure your car is off the road somewhere, like in a parking lot or side street. Then call someone you trust to pick you up or find an alternative mode of transportation home.
If neither option is available to you, find a nearby coffee shop and see if you can wait out the harsh conditions. It is better to be cautious than to keep driving in unsafe conditions.
What to do when your car hydroplanes
Hydroplaning is a common problem on the road when it is raining outside. It happens when your car’s tires are driving on a thin film of water instead of making contact with the road itself. In these cases, steering suddenly begins to feel light, as if your movements won’t change the direction of the tires.
When this happens, do not panic and try steering into the skid. Instead, AAA advises you to keep your eyes on the direction you mean to go and keep your wheel straight. Try to ease your foot off the gas, allowing your tires to lean forward and possibly gain contact with the ground again.
If this doesn’t work, gently press on the brake to transfer weight to the front tires.
As always, prevention is the best solution. Drive extra safe when the roads are wet! We are pretty busy as it is. Should something happen, be sure to reach out to us to start your insurance claim by clicking here.
