It never snows here in South Florida. But just because we don’t get snow and ice on the road, it does not mean North Palm Beach does not have its share of weather-related driving hazards.
We get plenty of rain, especially in the summer. That might not sound as dangerous, but anyone who has ever fishtailed on a wet piece of pavement can tell you that rainy weather can lead to serious car accidents.
Study: even light rain can cause a wreck
The data backs up that assertion. In 2019, a study reported on by Car and Driver found that “precipitation events” like a rainstorm or snowstorm raise the chances of a fatal car crash by 34 percent. And the rain does not have to be heavy to put drivers, passengers and pedestrians in danger. Researchers said that even light rain — “the point where you might consider taking an umbrella out,” as the study’s author put it — increases the risk by 27 percent.
Rain, South Florida and car crashes
In Palm Beach County, rain tends to come on with little warning. Usually, it is fairly light, but as we just discussed, that does not mean that drivers can ignore it. Some drivers assume that because the rain is not limiting their vision or causing standing water on the road, they can drive as fast and follow as closely as they do during dry times.
Rain can cause a severe car accident. But drivers can avoid many collisions by acting responsibly. At the same time, as a careful and defensive driver, you cannot always tell when someone else on the road is being less attentive to weather conditions. It is the combination of rain and negligence that can put you in danger.