San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog
Today, ktvu.com reported that the return of rain to the Bay Area yesterday kicked off a week of projected stormy weather with problems on roads across the region, particularly in Sonoma County where the California Highway Patrol responded to dozens of accidents. One CHP officer described the driving conditions as “crazy” as he explained how officers raced from one emergency call to the next all day yesterday. They responded to more than 40 crashes across Sonoma County during yesterday’s storm. One of the worst accidents left two people seriously hurt in a head-on crash on highway 121, and the CHP shut down the highway for about an hour while the wreckage was cleared. The CHP attribute the combination of rain and high speed as the cause of the accidents, as well as the fact that people forget they need to slow down and give extra space between them and the car in front of them when it rains. In fact, one driver, a 16-year-old girl-landed in a creek on Bodega Highway and suffered minor injuries. Another driver, a 70-year-old man, suffered minor injurs after he crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with another car on state Highway 116. The driver, who was allegedly under the influence of prescription medication was arrested on suspicion of DUI. Yet another driver escaped injury after his Toyota rolled over and landed on its top.
It is true that motorists have a dont’s feel safe while in the rain and wind and seem to be out of control while driving in a storm. Gusty winds and rain do make driving tricky-wind causes drivers to feel they have less control over their steering and rain causes motorists to hydroplain-and both circumstances create a greater risk for accidents. Motorists better get used to hazardous driving conditions, though, as meteorologists have projected a couple of wet weeks for the Bay Area, as a string of cold winter storms coming through the Gulf of Alaska are heading for Northern California. The strongest system will move through the area today.
If you or a loved suffered an injury due to an car accident on wet Bay Area roads, please contact our office for a free consultation. We have over 10 years experience working with victims of car accidents, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding a claim.