Heavy Rains Fall on East Tennessee
In just one day, September 26, 2009, more rain fell on Knoxville than the entire month of September in 2008. Thirteen East Tennessee counties were under flash flood warnings as rain covered roads, knocked out power lines and forced campers in the Smoky Mountain National Park to evacuate.
As reported on KnoxNews.com, authorities called this latest downpour “part of the wettest fall season the region's seen in years.” In fact, according to the NPDES monitoring system, the average downfall in Knoxville from 2000 to 2004 was 4.62 inches of rain in September and only 1.82 inches of rain in October.
As a result of the heavy rains, there have been several Tennessee car wrecks due to standing water on local roads and highways. According to KnoxNews, standing water on Interstate 75 led to several cars and trucks hydroplaning in Anderson and Campbell counties. There was also a report of a fatal car accident on Friday along I-640 in which a woman lost control of her vehicle and hit a tree.
Heavy rains present greater risk to Tennessee drivers. Hydroplaning is a particular risk and occurs when a driver loses steering control because a layer of water on the road prevents the tire from making direct contact with the road surface. The loss of road contact causes the driver to lose braking and steering ability. Without control, the vehicle slides until it hits something else—namely a tree, pedestrian or another driver.
How can drivers prevent the risks of driving in the rain? Simply, by exercising due care commiserate with the risks. Specifically, drivers should make sure tires are properly inflated and in good condition. Drivers of big rigs should make sure trailers are balanced and not overloaded. But most all, drivers should slow down.
Failure to operate a vehicle at safe speeds in the rain is careless and reckless in that it exposes innocent drivers to unnecessary risks of injury and death. If you have been injured due to the careless driving of another driver, contact an experienced East Tennessee car accident attorney to learn about your rights. Dial 866-853-2888 to speak with a member of our Baker Associates motor vehicle accident litigation team.
