The One Move to NOT Make While Driving in a Hurricane

Driving in heavy rainfall is dangerous enough. Elevate the rainfall into a hurricane with heavy gusts of wind and danger is multiplied by several factors. When it comes to driving through a hurricane, it's incredibly important to understand how to navigate the unstable terrain and adapt to changing conditions.

The power and might of hurricanes should not be underestimated. They kill hundreds of people every year and cause millions of dollars worth of damage. While you probably shouldn't be driving in a hurricane, if you must, it's helpful to learn some tips to make driving as safe as possible. Let's explore some techniques that will mitigate the danger. (If you are facing frozen conditions, discover what not to do when driving over ice.)

To compile a list of what to do (and what not to do) while driving in a hurricane, 24/7 Tempo consulted a range of insurance, weather, and news publications including Rural Mutual, The Weather Channel, and USAToday. Next, we organized the best tips and techniques for facing hurricane events in your vehicle. After that, we confirmed aspects of our research, particularly weather accident statistics, using sites like FEMA.gov and The Department of Transportation.

Hurricanes create untold hazards, chaos, and uncertainty. That's why it's essential to make sure you have everything prepared in terms of your car. Everything should be ready including oil levels, brakes, and tire pressure. Hurricanes will force your car to work harder than usual and the last thing you want to happen is a deflated tire or low oil. This extends to your gas tank as well. Make sure you have a full tank of gas before heading into the eye of the storm. The last thing you want to happen is running out of gas in the middle of a hurricane. Your windshield wipers need to be in working order to help maintain visibility through your windshield.

In this type of situation, preparation includes your person and your survival. Outfit your car with essential items like water, snacks (of the non-perishable variety), batteries, flashlights, and a first aid kit. Include blankets, phone chargers, and extra pairs of clothes as well. Proveriably known as a "bug-out" bag, this roster of items will keep you warm and satiated in case anything goes wrong.

Driving in a hurricane is meant for serious situations, potentially even life-and-death ones. It's not the type of weather to face for a leisurely cruise around the neighborhood or a quick trip to the supermarket. It's imperative that you have some type of plan in place before you drive out into a hurricane. The storm could have knocked down power lines on a major thoroughfare or worse.

As such, it's wise to plan your route meticulously before you start driving. Trouble can be mitigated if you know where you are going and what kind of chaos you might face along the way. Choose streets that are free of flooding, and have backup routes in mind just in case you face unforeseen circumstances. If possible, check weather and navigation apps on your phone for real-time updates to ever-shifting traffic situations. This will help you stay safe in unsafe conditions.

Beyond that, it will be helpful to have a sense of the services situated along your planned route. Find out where the closest gas stations are for refueling and where medical facilities are in case someone gets injured. Better yet, inform someone close to you about your planned route. That way, they can keep apprised of your situation and call in an emergency if you get into trouble.

The process of braking becomes precarious when dealing with a storm of any kind. If a storm gets elevated to a hurricane, braking becomes all the more fickle. The roads will be wet, slippery, and prone to spin-outs. Braking heavily in any type of serious moisture is dangerous enough. Add in strong hurricane winds and you have a recipe for disaster. When slowing down or stopping, touch the brakes gently. This will help you avoid sliding, spinning out, or hydroplaning. If you have an anti-lock brake system, you may need to apply firm pressure to stop your car. That said, exercise caution when it comes to braking in hurricane weather.

At the same time, there are other somewhat paradoxical methods to mitigate dangerous braking. While it's important to brake slower than normal, excess water will wet your brakes. This decreases your vehicle's stopping strength. As such, it might be wise to gently pump your brakes (but not too hard) every few minutes. This will not only help test if they are working properly, but it might help dry off the brake pads quicker.

Hurricanes can throw untold surprises your way, many of which are very dangerous. Driving in this kind of weather is not conducive to anything but alertness, vigilance, and adaptation. Your adventure through a hurricane should be free of distractions. You should not be eating, talking with passengers, or listening to the radio at loud volumes. This will only make it harder to focus on the task at hand, much less quickly adapt to changing circumstances. If you must listen to something on your drive, try to make it local weather and traffic updates. That way you can stay informed about how your driving route is affected by the storm.

You shouldn't be digging around your car for food or clothing while you're driving either. Keep your hands on the steering wheel, preferably in the 10-and-2 position. You never know when you'll need to make a sharp turn to avoid obstacles. A hurricane-level storm will produce loud sounds, and it's easy to become overwhelmed. By staying attentive, you can lessen the chances of danger.

Whatever you do, slow your roll. There's no reason to be speeding over wet pavement while you battle Hurricane winds and commotion. When the weather reaches that kind of fever pitch, you must adjust your driving habits. Heavy rain makes roads slippery and unpredictable. It also reduces overall visibility for anyone on the road. By keeping your driving slow and attentive, you will maintain better control over your car.

Driving fast in stormy conditions is dangerous, no matter how you slice it. Even if you seem to be driving fine at a higher-than-average speed, an unexpected slow-down will force you to hit the brakes. Hit the brakes too harshly or at too high of speed and you might hydroplane.

By driving slower than usual, you will have more time to react to any changes on the road. Plus, your wheels will grip the pavement better when you keep speed at a minimum. Drive too fast and you put yourself in danger. This extends to the cars around you as well. You can't rely on other people to drive safely. By going slow, you have more time to react to any unpredictable driving patterns around you.

Hurricanes bring wind and rain and result in floods. A hurricane event will likely cause severe flooding on roadways. That's why it's important to avoid flooded areas at all costs. A few inches of water can cause you to lose control of your vehicle. A mere foot of water can sweep cars off the road. Even if you have a big truck, heavy water can cause extensive damage to your vehicle. Driving through enough water might stall your engine or worse. No one wants to get caught in a flood, total their car, and put themselves in need of saving.

If you are faced with high water or flooded sections along your route, stop, assess the situation, and possibly take another route. This is where your route plan comes in handy. If you have alternative routes factored into your journey, these will be a lifesaver when dealing with flooding. If you do find yourself suddenly immersed in high enough water to cause hydroplaning, don't panic. Release your foot from the gas and avoid the brakes as you steer in the direction you want to go. If done properly, your car will eventually right itself out.

The danger of flooding and high water cannot be overstated. According to the Guardian, more than half of all flood-related deaths occurred in vehicles. Plus, a large percentage of drowning deaths occur to people trapped in flooded cars. Avoid flooded areas at all costs.

A hurricane throws everything into disarray. Power lines, trees, and even structures are blown to bits, sometimes all over the roads. This is especially true in rural areas where emergency crews are scarce and will take longer to respond to hazards blocking pathways. If you are driving through hurricane weather there is a good chance you will encounter some type of hazard along the way. When you are faced with a hazard, don't try to deal with it yourself. Your job is to get to your destination as safely as possible. Getting out of your car and attempting to clear the road yourself puts you in more danger.

Hazards extend to other drivers as well. This is also where the other tips like driving slow and staying alert come into play. By keeping a slow pace and your eyes on the environment you'll be able to navigate any type of hazard better. If there are cars in front of you, keep more distance than usual just in case they suddenly stop. This will give you more time to react, brake, and avoid crashes. (For other hurricane preparedness tips, learn 10 hurricane survival tips everyone needs to know.)

You may think you are the little engine that could, but your pride should go out the window when driving through a hurricane. Sure, you may have a bone to pick with your local government, but a hurricane is not the time to be nursing grudges. Follow all instructions from local authorities. If they tell you it's time for your neighborhood to evacuate, listen. If they put an emergency bulletin telling residents to avoid a certain road or area, heed their warning. Local authorities will likely have the most up-to-date information regarding flooding, hazards, and road closures. By taking their advice to heart, you can better prevent instances of danger.

As bank robbers like to say, "Don't be a hero." Implementing this philosophy will go a long way when dealing with severe weather like hurricanes. Let's say, however, that you come across an injured person in desperate need of help. We won't tell you to ignore people in need, but exercise caution above all. Your priority should be getting you and your family through the storm's danger safely. There is a reason that airplanes tell you to affix your oxygen mask before helping others in case of emergency.

There's no good reason to put yourself in more danger by ignoring warnings from authority figures. The potential for harm is already heightened by hurricanes. Every year, hundreds of people ignore warnings about severe storms and suffer the consequences. Don't underestimate the power of a hurricane and run into harm's way unless absolutely necessary.

All the decorum regarding the use of headlights, blinkers, and hazards goes by the wayside when it comes to driving in hurricanes. Heavy rainfall will reduce visibility severely. Hurricanes, however, have a good chance of blinding you to the road completely. Even if it's the middle of the day, you should be using your headlights at maximum power. Windshield wipers should be turned on to the max to clear any moisture from your windshield. You may hardly use your hazard lights, but a hurricane is the perfect time to implement them. To reiterate, hurricane weather will drop visibility to a minimum. You may implement all your lights and hazards only to find that you can't see much better than before.

This is a scary situation, but don't panic. Having all your lights on may not help you see better but it will likely help other drivers on the road see you. Everything is thrown into flux during a hurricane. No one knows what they are doing, and potential instances of panic are elevated. Do your best to maintain some semblance of visibility, but make extra sure that you are visible to other people on the road. If you have to pull over keep your lights on so passing driving can get a sense of your car's placement. Getting into a car crash during the middle of a hurricane creates the potential for serious danger. Extra lighting will, at the very least, help you see obstacles better and help those around you.

You may consider yourself an expert driver with nerves of steel, but let's be real. Besides tornadoes, hurricanes are the most dangerous weather-related circumstances to drive through. They kill hundreds of people every year. At this very moment, large parts of North Carolina remain completely submerged underwater thanks to Hurricane Helene. Unless you absolutely have to, you should not be driving in a hurricane at all. You should be boarding up your windows, maintaining adequate survival supplies, and waiting out the brutal storm.

Err on the side of caution when it comes to severe hurricane weather. Wind will be blowing at high speeds and downpours will make even the straightest roads seem like labyrinths. If conditions become too severe while driving, don't brave the elements until the danger passes. High enough winds can easily push a moving vehicle off the road. Instead, take an honest accounting of the situation.

If your gut tells you it's getting too dangerous, pull your car over to the side of the road or find shelter until it's safe to drive. You really should not be driving in a hurricane unless your neighborhood is being evacuated. If that's the case, implement these tips to help you navigate safely. According to the Federal Highway Administration, weather-related car accidents account for 21% of vehicle crashes and 16% of crash fatalities. When dealing with a hurricane, it's better to be safe than sorry. (For other intense weather events, explore the strangest weather events ever recorded.)