Editorial: When bad weather hits, exercise caution on the highways

Contrary to the behavior of a handful of Southern Arizona motorists, Interstate 19 and Nogales Highway aren’t test tracks for the Daytona 500.

However, those lead-footed lane-changers make the highways unspeakably dangerous — especially given the current weather conditions.

Southern Arizona is still in the midst of monsoon season, which means drivers should exercise an extra amount of caution when behind the wheel. But anyone who has been brave enough to venture onto the roadways has likely seen more than a few cars tear through the rain-soaked asphalt with the speedometer edging into triple digits.

The potential for a disastrous accident increases exponentially during a heavy rainfall.

Slick roads plus irresponsible driving tends to come to an undesirable end result.

Paul Kline with the Sheriff’s Auxiliary Volunteers advises Green Valley and Sahuarita residents to run their errands in the morning to avoid the afternoon or evening rains. Monsoons typically don’t hit until well after lunchtime, so take care of the day’s activities early.

If it is absolutely imperative to hit the road as the ominous clouds move in, don’t suddenly morph into a long-lost member of the Andretti clan.

Keep an extra-safe distance between your front bumper and the driver in front of you. When brakes start to get wet, they don’t clamp down quite as forcefully, resulting in a slower stop time. Tap your brakes occasionally — especially after crossing a puddle — to keep them as dry as possible.

Of course, visibility also must be taken into account. During a forceful monsoon, it can be impossible to see more than 10 feet. In this situation, pull over instead of attempting to blast through the rain.

If the road has become more river than asphalt, again, pull over. Once hydroplaning takes effect, the motorist no longer has control of the vehicle. And few things are more terrifying than a couple thousand pounds of metal hurtling forward with no idea where it’s going.

Arizona has “stupid motorist” laws in place for a reason. Far too many drivers believe they can tackle flood zones and end up stranded with nothing but a hefty towing and repair bill in their futures.

Virtually every modern car on the road comes with these high-tech internal computer/electrical systems. Even the slightest bit of water can interrupt the circuit and damage the engine.

Perhaps the most damaging byproduct of the Information Age is how everyone is in such a hurry all the time. People want to absorb as much information as possible in the shortest time frame. Unfortunately, this mentality can carry over into the driver’s seat.

What’s the rush? You’ll get where you’re going in due time.

Just don’t endanger fellow motorists, particularly when the rain starts to fall.