Los Angeles and most of California have been hit by harsh rain storms for much of January 2023 to date, causing many collisions involving cars, trucks and motorcycles. Clearly, rain and wet streets and pavement greatly increase the risk of car and truck collisions. Many of these rain caused collisions result in bodily injuries and property damage to those involved. When you are involved in an injury accident caused by rain, an inattentive or negligent driver, or anything else, there are several important things to do (set forth in more detail below), including contact an experienced personal injury car accident attorney for a FREE consultation and case evaluation.
The United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (DOT/FHA) states that because rain causes pavement and streets to become wet, tire vehicle traction is reduced, reducing vehicle maneuverability. Rain, especially heavy rain and fog, causes visibility to be reduced, further leading to more car and truck accidents. See United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (DOT/FHA)/Road Weather Management Program. https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/weather_events/rain_flooding.htm
Another result of rain and fog visibility problems and poor road collisions caused by those factors is that they cause car and truck drivers to drive at lower speeds, thereby causing reduced roadway capacity and greater delays. The DOT/FHA opined that these rain and fog induced speed reductions on roads and streets range from 10 to 25 percent (10%-25%) on wet streets and pavement.