Ah summertime, when the livin’ is easy – but the driving is not necessarily so.
Nature can bring summer storms that are as treacherous as winter driving, even when it seems like it’s “just raining.”
Under the right conditions, just one-tenth of an inch of water on the road can cause a vehicle to hydroplane. That means the tires aren’t touching the pavement so there’s no traction and the vehicle can easily go into a skid. It’s like driving on ice.
“People know the danger of ice and sliding on ice,” said Colorado State Patrol Trooper Gabriel Moltrer. “They may not see the danger of water.”
Nationwide, 75% of weather-related crashes occur on wet pavement – and 47% happen when it’s raining. More than 3,400 people are killed and more than 350,000 are injured in crashes during rainfall, according to Federal Highway Administration statistics.
In the often-torrential rainstorms in Colorado, it doesn’t take long to get that one-tenth of an inch – or more – of water on the road, and it can rapidly turn into flash flood conditions. If there’s hail, that adds another challenge, as do rapidly dropping temperatures that suddenly fog windshields and restrict visibility.
Yes, the weight and size of a vehicle and tire conditions can impact its susceptibility to hydroplaning, but any vehicle can lose traction on water.
“If you do hydroplane it’s very scary,” Moltrer said. “And no vehicle is safe from hydroplaning.”
With the convergence of summer travelers, weekend campers, hikers and climbers, motorcyclists and cyclists, and even local traffic to parks and other outdoor venues there’s more traffic, too.
And then, there are construction zones and wildlife, and the dangers to all living creatures of car interiors that can heat to more than 100 degrees in a parking lot in just a few minutes.
Despite the hazards of summer, you can get where you want to go safely if you slow down, follow a few tips and have patience.
Numerous agencies offer summer driving tips. Here are some of the most oft cited:
Before you go:
- Check the weather forecast and route, including potential alternative routes that may have less traffic or fewer construction zones. If bad weather is predicted, go earlier or later to avoid it if you can.
- Replenish emergency supplies, including food and water. If you’re traveling with children, pack things to entertain them during unscheduled stops or delays.
- Check the condition of tires and windshield wipers to ensure both are in good shape for stormy weather. And don’t forget the usual maintenance checks.
If it starts to rain:
- Turn off cruise control to ensure you can rapidly adjust your speed and maintain control if you hydroplane. Most traffic safety organizations and insurance companies advise drivers to turn off cruise control in any poor driving conditions.
- Be aware of traffic and maintain safe distances between vehicles.
- Slow down as necessary if conditions worsen.
If roadways flood:
- Remember that a vehicle can float away in just 8 to 10 inches of water; rapidly moving water is more treacherous.
- “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” has been the nationwide safety call during flood conditions since 2004. Initiated in 2003 by a National Weather Service station in Texas in 2003, the slogan is credited with saving lives and property, so it pays to remember it.
- Even if water looks shallow enough to cross, there could be debris, mud, potholes beneath it that could cause problems.
If it starts to hail:
- Never stop on the roadway, or partially on the roadway.
- If you pull onto the shoulder, ensure that your vehicle is well away from the traffic line.
- Get off at the nearest exit if conditions make travel difficult.
- Hail can make the roads slick, even well after the storm has stopped. It is ice, after all.
Wildlife on the road:
- This is a year-round hazard in Colorado with some animals – last year State Patrol troopers investigated 3,573 crashes involving animals. Ninety-six percent cause only property damage for the driver, but often killed the animal.
- The State Patrol this summer is targeting awareness of elk calving season in June and July, particularly areas along Highway 74 in Evergreen, Colorado.
- Animals are most active at dawn and dusk but can be out anytime of the day.
- Slow down if you spot wildlife and stop if animals are in the road, but do not swerve to avoid them as you could lose control of your vehicle.
- Use bright lights at night if there is no other traffic, and flash your lights at oncoming cars to warn of wildlife on the road.
- Drive slower in areas prone to wildlife crossings.
Researched and written by Sue McMillin