Title tag: How Spring Flooding and Standing Water on Montgomery County Roads Lead to Dangerous Crashes

Meta description: Montgomery County sees flooding and standing water-related car accidents occur each Spring. Talk with an experienced Montgomery County car accident attorney. Free consultations. 

How Spring Flooding and Standing Water on Montgomery County Roads Lead to Dangerous Crashes

Springtime weather in and around Montgomery County can change in the blink of an eye. Clear skies may be all a driver can see one moment, immediately before being pelted with raindrops from the darkest clouds imaginable. 

Many people think that the winter months in Montgomery County are the most dangerous. However, Spring flooding and standing water cause their fair share of dangerous car crashes. Warmer weather combined with more vehicles on area roadways dramatically increases the likelihood of an accident, which can injure drivers and passengers alike. 

What Makes Rain Events Particularly Dangerous For Montgomery County Drivers?

Flooding and standing water are both consequences of rain events. Montgomery County drivers must be aware of these potential outcomes. While Spring showers are welcome and necessary for many reasons, when severe weather strikes, there is ample danger for motorists on area roadways. 

Flooding can occur seemingly without warning. Even if a rainstorm may have been ongoing for several minutes before flood conditions developed, a seemingly moderate rain event can still catch even experienced drivers off guard. An inexperienced driver may lack the wherewithal to avoid potential hazards and maneuver their vehicle around flood waters. “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” may not be an expression that an inexperienced driver is familiar with. 

Consider, also, that it is difficult to see well during a rainstorm. Drivers rely on their ability to visually diagnose a situation and then decide on the best course of action in light of current conditions. Being unable to judge distances, hazards, and water depth due to poor visibility makes standing water and flooding even more treacherous. 

Vehicle Maintenance: A Tool Against Accidents Due to Flooding and Standing Water

Driving only after proper vehicle maintenance is performed is a good practice on any road at any time. That said, checking on the condition of your vehicle becomes critical when conditions are bad- such as during rain events that carry with them high risks of flooding and standing water. Montgomery County tends to receive its fair share of rain during the Spring months. As a result, area drivers would be well served to develop skills to avoid accidents. 

A vehicle’s brakes are its first line of defense against flooding and high-water-related accidents. Drivers can dramatically improve their vehicle’s stopping times by regularly checking the wear on their brakes. As brakes wear down, they are prone to making noises audible to drivers and their passengers. If your vehicle’s brakes are “talking” to you, that is a good sign they may need to be replaced. 

Tires are the only parts of a vehicle that touch the road’s surface. As such, it is important that the wear on each tire is examined. This is especially true after the vehicle has traversed area roadways in the cold, snowy Winter months. The tried and true “penny” test can determine whether you need new tires.

Avoiding Dangerous Drivers During Rainy Weather Conditions

One of the simplest ways to reduce the likelihood of being involved in a car accident during rainy events is to slow down. Easing up on the accelerator on a rainy day is sensible. Reaction times and braking ability of your vehicle are severely decreased when it is raining outside. By traveling at slower speeds and allowing for more space between your vehicle and the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead of you, the likelihood of being in an accident decreases dramatically. 

Sudden movements, such as during lane changes, should be avoided as much as possible in Montgomery County rain storms. Signal before making a turn or even switching lanes to make sure that the other drivers can anticipate your next move. Simple steps like this can make huge differences in how you drive during rain events. 

Proceeding After Being Involved in a Rain-Related Montgomery County Car Accident

Even if a driver takes every reasonable precaution while operating their vehicle, it is impossible to eliminate all risks associated with driving in rainstorms. Standing water and flood risks are prevalent. Couple these risks with the likelihood that each driver around you is not paying attention or considering these risks as much as you are, and the likelihood of being in an accident is greater than zero.

Especially in bad weather conditions, getting out of harm’s way is the first step a driver should take. Removing your vehicle from a roadway is not only safer for you but also helps reduce the likelihood of a subsequent accident. Turning on your hazard lights and making your vehicle as visible as possible are useful steps to take.

Contact 9-1-1 to report the accident that has occurred. Speak to law enforcement about what you observed in the accident. If possible, reach out to witnesses and take down their contact information. When law enforcement issues a report, you can see how closely their assessment of the accident matches up with your perception of what occurred. 

Seek Medical Care and Contact an Experienced Montgomery County Car Accident Attorney

Obtain medical care as soon as possible after the accident. Even if you do not believe that you are injured, or if your injuries appear minimal, medical care is helpful no matter what happens moving forward. Some injuries do not reveal themselves fully until hours or even days after an accident occurs. By getting checked out, an injury victim is provided a professional medical opinion about their condition and future need for care, if any. 

When medical bills, time away from work, and the stress of balancing many competing objectives begin to add up, consider speaking with a Montgomery County car accident attorney. 

Contact Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire P.C. for a Free Case Review

Do not allow an at-fault driver to cause an accident, injure you, and not be held accountable. Contact Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C. for a confidential case review. Our team of legal professionals takes the responsibility of serving car accident victims in Montgomery County seriously.