Driving In High Winds: How To Stay Safe

In many areas, spring and early summer bring a lot of windy weather -- and not just the kind that creates a nice breeze. Some of those winds can be absolutely ferocious and make driving safely incredibly difficult. One wrong move can lead to a serious accident and lifelong injuries.

Here's what you need to know to stay safe when driving in high winds.

1. Drive a little slower.

The force of the winds pushing against your vehicle actually increase your acceleration. It's very easy to spin out of control when there's a sudden gust of high winds -- or even end up forced into someone else's lane. Be particularly cautious when you're at a higher elevation, like on overpasses or bridges.

You also need to be unusually careful while taking curves in the road -- the force of the winds and attempts to overcorrect your course can cause a lot of taller vehicles, like SUVs and trucks -- particularly commercial trucks of any sort -- to tip over and roll. 

2. Watch for unusual hazards.

High winds also bring a lot of other problems. If you're driving in a residential or urban area, you need to be on the alert for downed power lines in particular. Do not drive over them! Some drivers think that their rubber tires will protect them, but that's not really the case. 

On both city streets and the highways, drivers need to be alert for debris that's been blown into the road. An improperly secured truckload, for example, can be blown right into the middle of a driver's path. Give yourself a lot of extra distance when you're traveling behind another driver.

A lot of winds bring abrupt storms, and the sudden deluge can be more than the earth and man-made drains can handle. If you see any signs of standing water on the road, stop or steer clear. Never attempt to drive through -- that's how many drivers get hurt or swept away in flash floods. 

3. Know how to respond to a tornado.

If you see a tornado or hear a warning, don't pause -- try to drive away as quickly as you safely can and seek shelter. Experts recommend that you look for convenience stores, restaurants, groceries, and truck stops -- not an overpass as many people believe. If all else fails, look for a ditch or low spot in the road and stay inside the car with your seatbelt on and your head covered to protect it from flying glass. Experts also recommend driving away at a right angle from the visible tornado. In other words, if the tornado seems to be going east, go south. If it's heading north, go east, and so on.

If you're injured in high winds because of another driver's failure to act with proper precautions, make sure that you talk to an auto accident attorney. Even though high winds may have been an underlying factor, many accidents are preventable when drivers exercise conscious safety techniques. If you are involved in an accident, contact an auto accident attorney like Santos Joel A.