Texas storm chasers love springtime. When storms fire up, these people prepare for nature's worse then travel hundreds of miles across Texas in search of twisters and other forms of nature's wrath in order to notify others. But what most fail to realize: these are professionals who've trained to drive in real weather extremes, and even they have it tough. Add a few drops on our roadways, and an otherwise ordinary trip to the park can quickly turn into a nightmare.
"The first 10 minutes after it starts to rain is the most dangerous time to drive. All the oil and dirt rises to the surface of the road in a thin layer, that causes drivers to hydroplane," defensive driving instructor Mark Benavides said.
Rear-end collisions are the most common traffic accident during rain. Your following distance is the key.
"The basic rule of thumb is two to four seconds in ideal weather; inclement weather you want to increase that to three to five, even six seconds," Benavides said.
A good way to minimize troubles with traction, keep your tire tread in check. The more tire you have, the better the grip on the ground. And check tire pressure often to keep at recommended levels. Check your owner's manual for exact instructions and specifications.
Of course, simply maintaining your vehicle doesn't guarantee a smooth ride. If you think the storms are too heavy and you don't feel comfortable behind the wheel, "the No. 1 rule of thumb there is don't drive. If you don't have to drive, don't drive," Benavides said.
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Driving in storms
Get tips for staying safe while on the road in a storm.
 
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That's sound advice especially given that more are likely to die in cars than anywhere else during Texas' most fatal weather event -- flooding.
Swollen streams across Texas can quickly turn to raging rivers, easily sweeping cars away like toys. Remember: just a few inches of moving water can force your car off the road. The motto to remember: Turn around, don't drown.
And if you should ever see a tornado while driving, look for a safe place to pull over and take cover. We've found out the hard way that overpasses aren't safe shelters. After taking refuge under an overpass during the F5 tornado event in Oklahoma in 1999, a woman's body was found a week later buried beneath eight feet of rubble. The structure didn't provide protection on all sides from one of the most violent of tornadoes. Flying debris, traveling at speeds as high as 300 mph in multiple directions, presents a real hazard to humans. Unless you have a sturdy barrier protecting your body, debris can injure and kill.
Some believe winds only go up in tornadoes, but they actually spin in multiple directions and with varying speed. In addition, the higher up off the ground you get, the faster the wind speeds are. In fact, under a bridge it acts like a wind tunnel and can actually increase that wind speed even more. Stop the car, find a sturdy building with four solid walls and take cover.
No matter what the conditions or when you're driving, in any weather, keep your seat belt fastened and stay focused.
Following a storm, tornado or flooding devastation can lead to confusion and fear. You might not know where to turn for help. Here is one of the first things you should do.
"I would definitely suggest contacting your insurance agent. Let them know, have an adjustor, you know, ready to come out so that we can get you back to a normal way of life, get the situation taken care of," real estate agent Riley Briton said.
"You should also take precautions so there is no more damaged caused after a storm has hit. Finally, we can't stress enough your need to pay attention when we flood," Lower Colorado River Authority Meteorologist Bob Rose said.
A lot of the time the roads you might be using to get home or to get to your place of business may be flooded. You need to know alternate methods of getting to work or places to go to wait out the high water.
Whether it comes in the form of funnels spinning paths of destruction, thunderstorms blowing gusts of straight line winds and raining hail or heavy rains and Texas floods, storm seasons come and go. But your attentive eye to the sky and common sense can save you when bad weather strikes.
