As rainy weather approaches the Central Coast, drivers are being urged to check their vehicles, slow down and increase their following distance to stay safe on wet roads.
As of noon Wednesday, a Santa Maria Police Department traffic officer told KSBY that four vehicle collisions had been reported that morning amid the rainy conditions.
Santa Maria Police Department Traffic Officer Nicholas Barton says rain can make roadways slick and increase the time it takes for vehicles to stop.
The biggest safety concern is going to be the slickness of the roadway, that and knowing that your car is not going to stop as quickly as it would on a dry road, Barton said.
For Santa Maria resident Myaah Salinas, checking her tires is one way to prepare before hitting the road.
I usually have my dad or grandpa come over and they check my tires just to make sure, like, they’re not run down as much since I do a lot of traveling, Salinas said.
Local truck driver Richard Carpentier also emphasizes the importance of checking tire condition and pressure before driving in wet weather.
Obviously, the condition of the tire. You don’t want to see the gouges or cuts, cracks. The air pressure is good, your valve stems intact, Carpentier said.
Carpentier says drivers should also leave more space between vehicles to give themselves additional time to react to changing road conditions.
Like today, I was down in Ventura, and it was raining heavily, but you just increase your following distance, Carpentier said.
Barton recommends increasing the following distance to four to eight seconds on wet roads.
He also advises drivers to slow down when approaching large puddles to reduce the risk of hydroplaning, which occurs when tires lose contact with the road because of water.
If a road is normally 40 miles, but there’s a big puddle, you need to be slowing down around 30 to 25 miles an hour so you don’t lose control, Barton said.
If a vehicle begins to hydroplane, Barton advises drivers to ease off the accelerator rather than slam on the brakes.
Just come off the gas. Youll end up causing more loss of control if you end up just slamming on the brakes because the vehicle is now trying to gain traction with the roadway, Barton said. Just bring your vehicle down to a slow speed and then the tires will eventually gain traction again with the roadway.
Officials recommend allowing extra travel time during rainy weather, checking tire condition and pressure before driving, maintaining a safe following distance and staying alert behind the wheel.