Rainy day tips

Every year around this time Southern Californians are victims of heavy rainfall and every year the same car crashes, power outages, roadblocks, and cancellations occur. I’m not a native of California and I actually grew up in Georgia where the rain there is usually accompanied by a hurricane warning or hail the size of baseballs. As a resident of California I’d like to give you some tips to help you get through this rainy season.

First when you wake up in the morning don’t just assume it’s going to be beautiful weather because you live in Southern California, check the weather. The picture on the left doesn't count as checking, except if you live in Hawaii.

By check I mean go outside or go online and get a daily forecast. By doing this you eliminate the possibility of getting caught in a potentially freezing rain in flip flops, shorts, and a tank top. If you don’t have time to check the weather just make sure you have an extra pair of clothes, shoes, and an umbrella in the trunk of your car.

Next make sure you have a map of the area and a list of streets that are prone to flooding when there is heavy rain. This is helpful especially when you’re running late. By mapping out your route to school or work beforehand you’re saving yourself time and gas.

In the event of a power outage make sure you have a flashlight with fresh batteries handy. Don’t use candles because you risk causing a fire in your home. Also make sure you have water bottles and food that doesn’t need to be cooked or heated up. Another thing that’s good to have around is a book or a board game because you don’t know how long the power is going to be out.

If for any reason you need to go out and drive in the rain make sure you give your vehicle a quick inspection before heading out. You’ll want to make sure that your windshield wipers are new, that you have enough gas in your car, and that your cell phone has enough battery life incase you need it. Before you start driving you want to make sure that you eliminate any distractions. So if you’ve been texting someone let them know you’re going to be driving and you’ll text them back when you’ve reached your destination. You’ll also want to pick a radio station that you won’t get bored of too quickly or creating a playlist on your musical device. By taking these steps you eliminate the need to remove one or both of your hands from the wheel.

Once you’ve started driving remember to keep both hands on the wheel and to focus on the road. You’re not just driving for you anymore. The other day I was coming home from school and I witnessed a person, on their phone, almost hit a car in the lane next to them because they didn’t check before they went to change lanes. The most important thing to remember when you’re driving is that the roads are slick so you’re going to have to do the speed limit or slower.

While your driving there are a few things to consider that could potentially save your life or the life of someone else. In the rain it’s a lot harder to hear and see motorcyclists so make sure you look twice for them. Make sure your headlights are on as well, it doesn’t matter if it’s sunny and raining it’s the law. If your car starts to hydroplane just keep calm and whatever you do don’t slam on the brakes, you’ll skid or create a more dangerous situation, simply let off the gas and try to keep your car in your lane. Lastly, make sure you’re not following too closely, if the person in front of you stops suddenly you’ll have to slam your brakes and the slick roads will just cause you to slide in to them.

While the rain is a beautiful thing it can also be extremely dangerous, especially when you have to drive in it. So make sure you take some precautions because you never know they could save your life.