NDOT reminds motorists to use caution when driving in rain
Submitted by paula on Tue, 12/27/2022 - 10:51am
When roads are wet from rain, water over the roadway reduces your vehicle’s tire traction. Add to that the fact that rain can reduce or impair a driver’s view of the road, and it’s easy to see that driving in the rain needs to be treated with extra caution.
Statewide, more than 175 crashes occurred in inclement weather between Oct. 1, 2021, and April 30, 2022, including two fatalities. Many of the crashes were due to unsafe driving in the rain, snow, and other wet conditions, such as driving too fast for conditions, following too closely, or failing to maintain a lane and overcorrecting.
The Nevada Department is sharing the following safety precautions to help drive safely in the rain:
- Only travel in heavy rain when necessary, and always leave extra time to safely reach your destination
- When getting into the car during rainy conditions, wet shoes may slide from pedals. Dry soles of shoes on vehicle carpeting or rubber matting if possible
- Be aware and avoid flooded areas--never attempt to cross running or flooded water
- Always buckle up
- Turn on headlights to see and be seen
- Defrost windows if necessary, both before and while driving
Reduce speed. Speed limits are based on normal road and weather conditions, not rainy conditions
- By Nevada law, wipers must be on while driving in rain or snow
- Keep additional distance from other vehicles
- Watch carefully for other vehicles and pedestrians
- Turn off cruise control to reduce hydroplaning
- Brake earlier and with less force, and turn slower, than you would in normal driving conditions
- Do not slam on the brakes. Apply steady pressure on ABS-equipped vehicles and pump the brakes if necessary on non-ABS vehicles
- If the vehicle begins to skid, steer in direction of the slide and slowly remove foot from the accelerator
- Temporarily pull off the road to a safe location if you have difficulty seeing the roadway or other traffic
For Nevada road conditions, visit https://www.nvroads.com/
For California road conditions, visit