The weather can be unpredictable, and it’s often a cause of serious motor vehicle crashes. Fortunately, even if you don’t have a weather radio, you can identify dangerous weather visually and take precautions to avoid a crash.
Here are three tips to help you avoid a weather-related crash and the frustration of having to make a personal injury claim.
- Get to know the visual signs of severe weather
The first thing to do is to remember what severe weather looks like as it builds up and starts traveling your way. Look for tall clouds, which are a sign that rain could occur. Dark clouds aren’t necessarily a sign of dangerous weather, but the taller they get, the more likely it is that you’ll have a severe thunderstorm.
Look for colorful skies, too. If it’s the middle of the day and the sky turns pink or green, you could be at risk of getting hit by hail or a tornado.
- Prepare to pull over due to heavy winds
It’s possible that low-profile vehicles could travel safely despite high winds, but larger vehicles usually cannot. If you’re near SUVs or semi-trucks, back away from them and give them space. Heavy winds could cause jackknife accidents or push a larger vehicle into your lane.
- Move over and exit the highway
If you notice hazard lights up ahead and the rain is starting to fall, consider getting off at the next possible exit. Turn on your own lights and slow down, then exit the highway to get out of the path of faster-moving traffic. Doing this can minimize the risk of getting into a collision with another driver who hasn’t noticed slowed or stopped traffic just yet.
These are three things you can do to avoid a weather-related crash. Get to know what the signs of severe weather are, get ready to pull over and find your nearest exit if you want to stay safe. If you do get into a crash, try to move your vehicle to the side of the road before calling 911 to get help for anyone injured in the collision.
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