What to Do When a Storm Hits While Driving

Estimated Read Time: 7 minutes

Table of Contents

• The Immediate Reaction
• Weather-Specific Advice
• The Safe Pull-Over
• Weather Conditions And Driver Negligence
• Negligence Is Avoidable

If a severe storm hits while you are driving, your first priority is to reduce speed and stay in control of your vehicle. Immediately:

1. Turn on your low-beam headlights to improve visibility
2. Disable cruise control
3. Increase your following distance to at least six to eight seconds behind the vehicle ahead
4. Keep both hands firmly on the wheel
5. Avoid sudden braking or sharp steering movements

If visibility becomes so poor that you can no longer clearly see lane markings, traffic signals, or nearby vehicles, safely signal and pull completely off the roadway, preferably at the next exit or far onto the right shoulder. Once stopped, activate your hazard lights and wait for conditions to improve.

These are the basic survival rules, but safely navigating severe weather also requires understanding how to respond to specific dangers such as:

• Hydroplaning
• Flash flooding
• Hail
• High winds

It is also important to understand that bad weather does not automatically excuse reckless driving. Drivers are still legally responsible for adjusting their behavior to match dangerous road conditions.

The Immediate Reaction

When a storm suddenly hits, many drivers panic and make decisions that actually increase the risk of a crash.

Don’t Turn On Your Hazard Lights

One of the most common mistakes is activating hazard lights while the vehicle is still moving.

Although many people believe flashing hazards make them more visible, law enforcement and safety experts strongly advise against it. While driving with flashers engaged is legal in states like Texas and Georgia, it can severely confuse surrounding drivers.

• When your hazard lights are blinking, your vehicle's turn signals are often overridden and disabled
• Furthermore, motorists behind you may assume your vehicle is completely stopped or disabled in the middle of the roadway, creating additional danger during low-visibility conditions.
• Low-beam headlights remain the safest and most appropriate choice while actively driving in a storm.

Increase Following Distance

The following distance also becomes critically important once roads become wet. Under dry conditions, most drivers already follow too closely. During heavy rain, braking distances can increase dramatically because water reduces the friction between tires and pavement.

A six-to-eight-second following distance gives you the extra reaction time needed if traffic suddenly slows or another vehicle loses control. Following too closely during a storm leaves little margin for error.

Disabling Cruise Control

Disabling cruise control is vital. Cruise control systems are designed to maintain a constant speed. If your vehicle hydroplanes and the tires lose contact with the road surface, the system may continue accelerating to maintain speed. This can worsen the skid and make it far more difficult to regain control. During severe weather, you need full manual control of acceleration and braking at all times.

Weather-Specific Advice

The appropriate safety measures are different based on what type of storm you’re caught in.

Heavy Rain and Hydroplaning

Hydroplaning occurs when a layer of water forms between your tires and the road, causing the vehicle to lose traction and glide across the surface. It can happen faster than many drivers realize, especially at highway speeds.

If your vehicle begins hydroplaning:

• Remain calm
• Do not slam on the brakes or jerk the steering wheel
• Gradually ease your foot off the accelerator and keep the wheel pointed in the direction you want the vehicle to travel
• If the rear of the vehicle begins sliding, gently steer into the skid until traction returns

Sudden braking or overcorrection often turns a manageable slide into a serious collision. Drivers should also remember that the first 10 to 15 minutes of rainfall can be especially dangerous. Oil and debris on the roadway mix with rainwater before fully washing away, creating extremely slick pavement conditions.

Flash Flooding

Flooded roadways are among the deadliest storm-related driving hazards. Water depth is notoriously difficult to judge from behind the wheel, particularly at night or during heavy rain. That is why emergency officials consistently promote the phrase, “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”

• Just six inches of moving water can reach the bottom of many passenger vehicles, causing loss of traction and stalling.
• Around one foot of water can float many vehicles entirely, allowing fast-moving currents to sweep them away.

Larger vehicles like SUVs and trucks are not immune. Drivers should never assume they can safely cross standing or flowing water.

If you encounter a flooded roadway, turn around immediately and find an alternate route. A few extra minutes of travel time is insignificant compared to the risk of being trapped in rising water.

High Winds and Large Vehicles

Strong wind gusts can push vehicles sideways unexpectedly, especially when driving across:

• Bridges
• Open highways
• Elevated roads

Drivers should maintain a firm, two-handed grip on the steering wheel and stay alert for sudden wind shear.

Extra caution is necessary around high-profile vehicles such as:

• Semi-trucks
• Buses
• RVs
• Box trucks

Strong winds can cause these vehicles to sway or drift across lane lines with little warning. Giving them additional space reduces the risk of a sideswipe collision if the driver loses stability.

Hail and Tornado Warnings

Severe hail can crack or completely shatter windshields, making continued driving extremely dangerous. If hail begins falling heavily:

• Seek shelter whenever possible, such as under a gas station canopy or inside a parking garage.
• Avoid stopping beneath trees or unstable structures that may collapse during the storm.

Tornado conditions present even greater danger. Contrary to popular belief, hiding beneath an overpass is not safe. Overpasses can create wind-tunnel effects that intensify flying debris and wind speeds. If no sturdy building is available and a tornado is imminent, the safest option may be to leave the vehicle and seek shelter in a low-lying ditch while protecting your head and neck.

The Safe Pull-Over

There comes a point during some storms when continuing to drive becomes a calculated risk and turns into pure gambling.

• If visibility drops to near zero;
• If traffic ahead disappears entirely from view; or
• If your vehicle becomes difficult to control,

it is time to pull over safely and wait out the worst conditions.

Whenever possible:

• Avoid stopping directly in a travel lane or on a narrow shoulder
• Carefully navigate toward the next exit, rest area, parking lot, or a wide section of the right shoulder far away from moving traffic
• Use turn signals while moving into position, even if visibility is limited

Once your vehicle is fully stopped, activate your hazard lights. At this point, flashing hazards serve an important purpose by alerting approaching drivers that your vehicle is stationary.

Remain inside the vehicle with your seatbelt fastened unless there is an immediate danger, such as rising floodwater or fire. Your vehicle provides a protective shell against debris, lightning, and inattentive drivers who may drift onto the shoulder during poor weather.

Weather Conditions And Driver Negligence

Many people assume severe weather automatically excuses drivers from responsibility after an accident. Legally, however, that is not how most cases work. While storms may qualify as an “Act of God” in certain limited situations, drivers still have a legal duty to operate their vehicles safely for the conditions they face.

Speed limits are based on ideal driving conditions, not:

• Blinding rain
• Standing water
• Hurricane-force winds

In fact, both Texas and Georgia law explicitly require drivers to reduce their speed during bad weather.

Under Georgia’s "Too Fast for Conditions" statute and Texas’s "Reasonable and Prudent" speed laws, a speed limit sign does not authorize you to travel at that speed if weather conditions make it unsafe to do so.

Therefore, a driver traveling 65 mph during a torrential downpour can be cited and held civilly liable for negligence, even if they were technically matching the posted speed limit. Drivers are expected to:

• Slow down
• Increase following distance
• Maintain proper tire condition
• Exercise reasonable caution during dangerous weather

Insurance adjusters often investigate multiple factors after a weather-related crash. They may review:

• Tire tread wear
• Braking patterns
• Surveillance footage
• Weather reports
• Vehicle speed data
• Witness statements

to determine whether a driver failed to adapt appropriately to road conditions.

In many cases, the storm itself is not the true cause of the accident. The real cause is a driver who ignored the risks and continued driving aggressively despite the obvious danger.

Negligence Is Avoidable

Storms can transform an ordinary drive into a life-threatening situation within minutes. Knowing when to slow down, when to pull over, and how to react calmly during hydroplaning, flooding, or high winds can dramatically reduce your risk of serious injury. Preparation, patience, and sound judgment remain your best tools when dangerous weather strikes.

You can control your own actions in a storm, but you cannot control the drivers around you. If you or a loved one has been injured in a weather-related accident caused by another driver’s failure to operate safely in the conditions.

Our lawyers at MAS Law have over 100 years of combined experience fighting to secure justice for those injured by another person’s negligence. We’ve built our reputation on unwavering commitment, personal compassion, and legal clarity. Contact us anytime to start your journey to the MAX compensation.