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As Floridians know, June through October is when approximately 70 percent of the year's rain falls.  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics show that rain causes more driving fatalities than snow in 39 of the 50 states.

During the rainy season, there is a 60 percent average chance that precipitation will be observed at some point during a given day. When precipitation does occur it is most often in the form of thunderstorms (66 percent of days with precipitation have at worst thunderstorms), light rain (13 percent), moderate rain (12 percent), and heavy rain (9 percent) according to data posted by according to the weather website, WeatherSpark.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that rain, and other precipitation, impacts our roadways by making distance visibility and pavement traction difficult. 

Dangers of driving in the rain

One day in February 2015 the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) responded to 21 accidents in Alachua County with the first one occurring around 8:00 a.m. and the last one just after 6:00 p.m. Alachua County Sheriff's Office spokesman, Art Forgey Said, "Every time we have a lot of rain, there's a lot of crashes. The two go hand in hand."

When driving after rain, drivers should be aware that the surface of the road is covered in a thin film of water, oil, and grease which can reduce traction and cause vehicles to skid.

During rain storms, poor visibility is a major threat to driving safety, as drivers may be less aware of oncoming cars, pedestrians, and hazards in the road. Pedestrians who ordinarily are observant may become distracted by fiddling with an umbrella or a rain slicker. In addition, raindrops deaden sound, so the usual audio clues for measuring car distances become obscured.

Deep puddles on the surface of the road can be formed after a long, hard rain. Poorly drained roads often can be covered with these deep puddles which may seem smaller than they actually are, and if driving through them, may cause control issues such as vehicle spins and braking.

Every year in Southwest Florida, rain is blamed for thousands of accidents. However, many of these accidents can be prevented by drivers' recognizing that fair weather (cloudy) and foul weather (rain) driving are fundamentally different. Foul weather driving requires a different skill set.

"As we enter our 'rainy season', it is important to review tips for driving in the rain. The following tips come from edmunds.com," said Fort Myers Vehicle Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey of Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C.

Tips for driving in the rain

1. Before it starts to rain, replace old or brittle wiper blades.
2. Stay toward the middle lanes — water tends to pool in outside lanes.
3. Maintain proper following distance (3 second rule). This needs to be increased in wet weather.
4. Drive in the tracks of a vehicle ahead of you.
5. Don’t follow large trucks or busses too closely, because the spray created by their large tires can reduce vision.
6. Be more alert watching for brake lights in front of you.
7. Turn your headlights on. (This is required by Florida law.)
8. Never drive through moving water if you can’t see the ground through it; your vehicle could be swept off the road.
9. Avoid driving through deep water, because it can cause serious damage to a modern vehicle’s electrical system.
10. When you need to stop or slow, do not brake hard or lock the wheels and risk a skid. Maintain mild pressure on the brake pedal.
11. Watch the contours not only of the road, but also the fences, trees, hedges, and buildings at the side of the road ahead. If they appear to be unnaturally low, slow down at once, because the road is probably flooded.
12. Allow for more travel time. You should plan to drive at a slower pace than normal when the roads are wet. Keep in mind that traffic is likely to be moving slower as well. There's also the possibility that your preplanned route may be flooded or jammed.
13. Use your turn signals, so that other drivers know your intentions, and take turns and curves with less speed than you would in dry conditions.
14. Don't use cruise control. If you hydroplane, there's the chance your car could actually accelerate.
15. Defog your windows. Rain will quickly cause your windshield to fog up. Switch on both front and rear defrosters and make sure the air conditioning is turned on.
16. If it's raining so hard that you can't see the road or the car in front of you, pull over and wait it out.

Remembering that taking a few precautions and using wet-weather techniques can help keep you from being involved in accidents. If you should be involved in an accident, whether nor not rain is involved, contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. for a free consultation about your legal rights.

Fort Myers Vehicle Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.