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As a motorist, you can’t always predict road conditions and adverse weather. Even if you could, you might not be aware of what to do when caught in bad weather. It can be lifesaving to properly prepare for what to do when driving during adverse weather conditions. The following helpful bad weather driving safety tips can help!
It may be difficult to tell how deep puddles of water on roads are. It only takes around one foot of water to float a car or smaller SUVs. The moment your vehicle floats, your car is like a boat without paddles. Even if you know the road well, under the floodwater there may be damage or sections of the road that is washed away.
When approaching a flooded road, stop your vehicle and take a minute to find an alternative route instead of putting your life in danger. Keep in mind that larger-scale rivers can overflow because of heavy rain. This can cause flooding days later in downstream areas. Also, flash flooding in higher terrain areas can arrive in a lower geographical area where it hasn’t rained.
You might think that bad weather sweeps through and then the skies clear, suggesting the bad weather is clear. However, it is often not that simple. In the midwest, there can be thunderstorms and strong winds, followed by a round of thunderstorms and tornados with damaging winds later in the afternoon or evening.
Unless the National Weather Service clears your area from a severe thunderstorm or flash flood, don’t assume all is well and that you can resume driving in that area after one round of severe thunderstorms. There might very well be another severe thunderstorm moving toward you within the next hour or so.
Tornado sirens are meant to warn people who are outdoors to stay safe and seek shelter. However, in some areas, you might be too far away from the nearest siren to hear it. It is better to have several ways of receiving National Weather Service warnings, including NOAA Weather and an alert sent to your smartphone, before venturing out. Make sure that your smartphone is fully charged before leaving home and the do not disturb function is turned off when severe weather is reported or expected.
Driving in rain can lead to slippery roads and unfavorable driving conditions. However, if you drive slowly and follow these safe driving tips, you can better navigate the streets when rain arrives.
Keep safe during all your travels, and rather be on the safe side when making decisions while driving.
Additional Information: Driving in Severe Weather
At Great Plains Auto Body shop Omaha and Council Bluffs, we’re committed to giving you an unmatched level of service. As a company that’s been family-owned and operated for more than 26 years, we’re dedicated to treating our customers as we would treat members of our own family. We’ll keep you informed throughout the entire repair process and make sure you’re satisfied when the job is complete. From estimating and detailing to collision repair and paint services, our ASE-certified mechanics and technicians make sure the job is done right and on time.