With storms at hand, please slow down and be ready for the unexpected

By Steve Elliott / ADOT Communications

It's a rainy week with the remnants of Hurricane Rosa passing through Arizona. That's why we're urging motorists to slow down, avoid tailgating and sudden braking, and expect the unexpected.

We have plenty of rainy-weather safety tips available at azdot.gov/safety (follow the Weather link). But I want to call attention to a few in particular, starting with allowing extra time to reach your destination safely and, if you can, delaying travel when it's raining heavily or there's blowing dust, as happened Sunday in the Phoenix area.

I also want to make sure you know what to do when a vehicle hydroplanes. That's when you drift due to a thin layer of water between your tires and the asphalt. If you feel you are hydroplaning, ease your foot off the gas pedal until you regain traction. Don't brake suddenly. If you are sliding or drifting, gently turn your steering wheel in the direction of your slide.

Also, avoid sudden braking, which can cause you to slide on wet pavement. Leaving plenty of following room between your vehicle and the one ahead of you is a good way to prevent having to brake suddenly. To slow down on a wet road, take your foot off the gas pedal and brake slowly.

You can get real-time highway conditions on ADOT’s Traveler Information site at az511.gov and by calling 511. I also recommend following ADOT’s Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT, the source of photo tweets embedded in this post. When a freeway closure or other major traffic event occurs, our free app available at ADOTAlerts.com will send critical information directly to app users in affected areas – where possible, in advance of alternate routes.

That's all the advice I have to give. Now I hope you follow it. Please slow down for safety and always be prepared for the unexpected.