Personal Injury Lawyer in Queens: 4 Safety Tips for Driving in the Rain

The five boroughs experience flooding quite often. Queens is a borough particularly prone to severe flooding during intense rainstorms, especially in low-lying and poorly drained areas. By taking practical precautions during heavy rain, you can reduce the risk of rain-related crashes. When accidents happen due to someone else’s negligence, taking the right steps after a crash can help build a claim. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer in Queens can help you determine whether a claim makes sense after a crash.

4 Tips for Driving in the Rain From a Personal Injury Lawyer in Queens

Here are some tips to prevent rain-related accidents and what to do if you find yourself in a crash.

1. Prepare Before Driving

The first step you can take for your own safety is to prepare for the road. This means checking the weather and taking flood advisories and storm warnings seriously. During severe weather warnings, you should avoid being on the road if you can.

Make sure your windshield wipers and headlights are in good condition, and keep windshield fluid available. Lastly, keep a small emergency kit somewhere in your car.

2. Turn on Your Headlights

According to New York Vehicle and Traffic Law § 375(2)(a), drivers must use their headlights any time visibility is less than one thousand feet ahead of the vehicle or whenever windshield wipers are in use. So if you’ve got your wipers on to clear rain, sleet, or snow, you need to also have your headlights on.

3. Drive Slowly and Cautiously

You should always drive more slowly when the roads are wet and slippery. Other precautions include giving yourself more following distance and braking earlier and sooner than normal.

During a heavy downpour, avoid rapid lane changes, sharp turns, or aggressive passing.

4. Respond to Hydroplaning and Floodwater

Hydroplaning is when tires lose traction with the pavement and ride on water instead. While decreasing your speed helps to prevent hydroplaning, in very severe storms you might still find yourself hydroplaning. If that’s the case, you should try to regain control of the vehicle.

Keep steering movements smooth, look where you want the vehicle to go, and avoid slamming on the brakes or making sudden turns. Once you regain control, slow down even further.

If the road ahead of you is entirely flooded, never drive through it. Water can conceal washed-out pavement, open drains, or other hazards. The safest thing to do is turn around and choose another route.

Personal Injury Lawyer Explains What To Do After an Accident in Queens

If you experienced a crash because of the rain, taking these steps can support your claim.

First, move to a safe location if it’s possible. Next, call 911, especially if someone is hurt. In New York, drivers are legally obligated to remain at the scene, call the police immediately, and provide identifying information when someone is injured or killed. Moreover, if a crash causes injury, death, or more than $1,000 in property damage to any one person, you’ll need to file a Report of Motor Vehicle Crash (MV-104) with the New York DMV within 10 days of the accident.

Next, to support a personal injury claim and to protect your health, seek medical care, including for symptoms that seem minor at first. It’s easy to overlook the extent of your injuries when adrenaline is high after a crash. Seeking medical attention can reveal hidden injuries and better tie them to the crash.

Take photos and videos of vehicle damage and road conditions, if safe to do so. You should also report the crash to your insurer, sharing only the essential details. We never advise sharing too much with adjusters, as this could hurt your case later on.

Finally, consider reaching out to a personal injury lawyer in Queens. Bad weather can contribute to crashes, but does not automatically excuse negligent conduct. Careless decisions like speeding, following too closely, failing to use headlights, or failing to adjust to conditions can still support a personal injury claim.

If you’re looking for a personal injury lawyer in Queens, reach out to Matera & Manley. Our firm offers free consultations, so there is no cost to learn whether you have a case.

Book a Free Consultation With a Personal Injury Lawyer in Queens

Taking the right precautions in rainy weather can help you mitigate the dangers of rain-related car accidents. However, in the event you find yourself in a rain-related crash, the attorneys at Matera & Manley are prepared to support you in the claims process. We want to serve as your personal injury lawyer after a Queens rain-related car accident.

The attorneys of Matera & Manley are here to support you after your crash. We have a track record of success, including securing millions of dollars for our clients. We work on a contingency fee model, so it costs nothing to learn if you have a case. Schedule a free consultation today.