BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 This weekend unleashed one of the fiercest downpours Kern County has seen recently \u2014 Here’s what this means for drivers: the hidden dangers on soaked roads, the warning signs, and the lifesaving tips to keep you safe.<\/p>\n
Rain over the weekend left roads across Kern County slick and hazardous \u2014 contributing to a spike in crashes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always see a little bit of a rise when there\u2019s inclement weather like this. From Friday night to Monday morning, we had about 60 calls for service regarding traffic collisions.\u201d Sergeant Caleb Kaiser with the Bakersfield Police Department said. <\/p>\n
Officers say it\u2019s important to slow down, especially when driving in wet weather. Many of the collisions happened in just seconds \u2014 drivers losing control while changing lanes, hydroplaning at higher speeds, or sliding into other cars because they didn\u2019t have enough stopping distance. With more rain in the forecast this week, they\u2019re urging drivers to take it slow, turn on headlights, and leave extra space between vehicles \u2014 especially at night or during heavier downpours.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere in Bakersfield, we\u2019re not really used to this type of weather. So we always like to remind our community to slow down and take extra time. Your visibility is reduced, your ability to stop in time is reduced, so leave a little bit early and make sure you\u2019re lowering your speed.\u201d Sergeant Kaiser with the Bakersfield Police Department said. <\/p>\n
On Saturday, Bakersfield hit a rainfall record \u2014 1.23 inches in a single day. <\/p>\n
Grace Laverriere, 23 ABC’s morning weather forecaster, says, \u201cThat is the all-time record for that date since we started keeping records back in the late 1800s. So that was a significant amount of rain for us to receive in just one day, and it was like that all across the county. We saw a lot of rain on Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grace tells me there were widespread roadway impacts \u2014 from local flooding and road closures to rockslides in the canyons, along with slick and dangerous roadways.<\/p>\n
Sergeant Kaiser adds that posted speed limits are meant for ideal driving conditions \u2014 and when roads are wet, conditions are anything but ideal.<\/p>\n
Roads are still slick \u2014 encouraging drivers to slow down, leave extra distance between cars, and drive with extra caution.<\/p>\n
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