4 Safety Tips for Driving After Record Rainfall from Tropical Storm Hilary

Southern California rainfall totals for 2023 were already enormous, and Tropical Storm Hilary has now undoubtedly made a major impact. 

Tropical Storm Hilary brought record breaking rainfall to SoCal.

Burbank Rainfall amounts of 3.28 inches were reported by the National Weather Service. Other areas of the valley with major rainfall included:

• Van Nuys – 4.20 inches
• Northridge – 4 inches
• Calabasas – 3.70 inches
• Porter Ranch – 3.31 inches
• Canoga Park – 3 inches

Van Nuys received almost double the amount of rainfall as DTLA, LAX, and Long Beach.

Raywood Flats in the Riverside and San Bernardino mountains saw 10.55 inches. The Coachella Valley was even drenched, with Palm Springs airport reporting over three inches of rainfall. 

Heavy rains can lead to flooding, mudslides, building damage, and more dangers that may lead to injuries. While a natural disaster can’t be the direct reason for a personal injury claim, rain can lead to other accident-causing hazards.

Rain and other weather conditions are one of the leading causes of car accidents in the nation, especially when traveling at high speeds.

Data from the National Safety Council, speeding on wet roads factor in 22 percent of all fatal car crashes and moving or standing water contributed to 38 percent.

Generally, the wettest month in Los Angeles is February and the driest month is July. According to data from UC Berkeley’s TIMS (login required), there were 914 car crashes in February 2022 and 867 in July 2022.

While not all accidents in February were necessarily caused by speeding after wet conditions like heavy rainfall, it’s interesting to note that there were a large number of crashes.

This is especially interesting considering February is also a shorter month.

Why are there more accidents during rainy conditions? There are several factors:

• When speeding, your car’s tires may not have proper traction to stop when required. Wet grounds make roads more slippery, increasing the chances of a crash.
• Hard rain or even winds can knock out street lights, and those unfamiliar with what to do in such situations can drive recklessly.
• A driver’s vision may be impaired due to sheets of rain, or malfunctioning windshield wipers.

In the event of heavy rainfall or flooding, there are tips you can take to help maintain safety if you need to travel:

• Make sure your car is ready for weather, with properly functioning windshield wipers and tires with enough traction.
• Avoid speeding. Be prepared to drive slower than normal.
• Give yourself plenty of time to arrive at your destination. 
• If need be, pull over until the rain lightens in intensity.

Tropical Storm Hilary has no doubt made a long term impact on various parts of Southern California. Afterall, virtually every daily rainfall record was broken.

If rainfall from Tropical Storm Hilary made an impact on you after a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

If another party was negligent (for example, speeding) and hit your car resulting in an injury, contacting a Southern California personal injury attorney could be a benefit.

The Southern California car accident lawyers at C&B Law Group have helped personal injury victims recover millions of dollars in compensation. We have a stellar success rate of settling 99 percent of all personal injury cases.

We will work within our legal power to help you recover compensation such as:

• Medical bills and expenses
• Lost wages
• Pain or suffering

Some of the most frequent personal injuries resulting from a car accident include:

• Broken bones
• Neck injuries such as whiplash
• Cuts and lacerations
• Head injuries like a concussion
• Chronic back pain
• Loss of limbs
• Internal injuries like organ damage or bleeding
• Torn muscles
• Wrongful death

With decades of combined experience helping personal injury victims, we vow to make sure you receive the maximum compensation possible.

If you were injured in a car accident following Tropical Storm Hilary, reach out to our team at C&B Law Group today for a free consultation.