Community Corner

San Diego County Rainy Day Car Crashes: 90 as of 4 p.m.

The number of crashes on county freeways increased as the rain fell Monday.

The California Highway Patrol had received reports of 90 crashes on rain slicked area freeways and unincorporated roads as of 4 p.m. Monday.

Under normal weather conditions, there are typically between 50 and 75 crashes in a 24-hour period. No further rain is forecast for the rest of the week after Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Here are tips from the Automobile Club of Southern California for staying safe as you drive in the rain and on roads lined with potholes, which may pop up after the rains:

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Tips for Rainy Day Driving

  • Slow down. Be especially careful about driving through puddles. Slower driving also will help drivers be ready for sudden stops because of debris in the road or other weather related hazards.
  • Maintain extra distance behind other drivers. The Automobile Club says drivers need two to three times more stopping distance on wet pavement than dry, so the extra distance will come in handy if you need to make a sudden stop.
  • Drive in center lanes to avoid outside lanes where water may pool.
  • Stay aware of weather conditions by checking news reports. Also, avoid distractions while driving.
  • Maintain proper air pressure. The right air pressure provides more cushion between the tire rim and the pothole, which can mitigate some of the damage. To find the right pressure for your car, consult the owner's manual, a sticker on the driver's side door jamb or inside the fuel filler flap.
  • Slow down and hold the wheel firmly when driving over multiple potholes.
  • Try not to brake directly over a pothole. This will shift the vehicle's weight to the front and worsen damage from the impact of hitting the pothole.
  • Watch out for water that obscures how deep a pothole is. "Hitting even one severe pothole could alter the alignment of a wheel from suspension damage resulting in uneven tire wear," said Steve Mazor at the Automobile Club of Southern California's Automotive Research Center. Uneven tire wear could hasten the need to replace the tires.
  • Keep extra distance between cars in front of you so that you can see if there are potholes in the road.

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