Annually, when the rainy season arrives, the increase of car accidents in California follows right behind. 

Due to the normally sunny weather on the west coast, Californians tend to be unprepared for the rain, and car accidents can occur frequently.

Suddenly, screeching tires and swerving cars are all over the news. Especially in Los Angeles, where everyone is in a rush to be somewhere, it’s not a surprise that car accidents happen often during winter.

Of the 5,891,000 car crashes every year, 21% of those are weather-related, which is about 1,235,000 accidents that have to do with the rainy weather. 

Some factors that could contribute to these accidents besides the slippery roads are poor visibility and nervous driving. 

Fog makes it hard for drivers to see clearly through traffic and due to this, people are essentially driving blindly on certain days. 

Some drivers overestimate the dangers of driving in the rain and become timid or nervous  which, naturally, can cause more collisions. Drivers can feel obligated to be slower than necessary.

Many students at VNHS aren’t seasoned drivers, and hearing this type of news might cause panic. But fear not, here are some tips to help out with driving in the rain: reduce your speed, turn on your headlights and minimize sharp actions.

Reduce your speed – As mentioned previously, driving too slow can be a problem but it doesn’t mean that speeding is safer. By reducing your speed, you can have a faster reaction time and your stopping capability is higher. Slowing down is the most essential step that any driver can take to reduce any chance of accidents.

Turn on your headlights – In the case of fog where it’s difficult to see, your headlights are your best friend. Turning on headlights can reduce the chance of accidents by 38%. Headlights are supposed to help you see while driving. Use them!

Minimize sharp actions – Do not make panicked decisions like sudden lane changes, hard braking, or swift lane changes while driving in rainy weather. This can not only cause an accident, but it can also cause you to lose control of your vehicle. It is best to drive in an easy, controlled way in rainy terrain.