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On Friday October 5, 2012 there was a multiple vehicle crash involving up to 50 vehicles with 50 people injured on I-75 on the Manatee/Sarasota county line.  The pile-up happened just as an area thunderstorm struck.

According to Lt. Chris Miller of the Florida Highway Patrol,  "Weather was a contributing factor."  Lt. Miller continues to point out that,   "People were driving too fast for the conditions.  If it is raining and storming, you have to travel at a safe speed, and that may be well below the posted speed limit. People have to adjust their speed accordingly. The second thing is that people have to, whether it’s raining, whether it’s fog, whether it’s completely dry out there, leave more distance between themselves and the people in front of them. People typically follow too close.”  For more information click here.

Weather records show, unlike the "rainy season" in Southwest Florida, June, July, August and September, when we have on average 9 inches of rain per month, October through May we only have an average rainfall of about 2.5 inches per month.

"A disproportionate number of crashes due to wet and slippery roads take place in the dry season." says Attorney Randall Spivey, Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.  "Roads become extremely  slippery when rain first starts to fall. As rain begins  it mixes with oils that cover the road's surface. Until additional rain breaks down and washes away this oily mixture, the pavement is very slippery. This condition can last anywhere from a few minutes to hours. Road grit and particles of rubber from tires as well as carbon exhaust emissions and oil slick  become a layer between the actual pavement and the moisture, causing a hydroplane surface. As a personal injury attorney I have all too often seen the tragedies which can happen in crashes involving wet and slippery road surfaces. I recommend that drivers learn ways to cope with wet roads even in the dry season."

A number of safety organizations, including Smart Motorist, provide guidelines for driving on rain-slick roads. 

If  you, a loved one, or someone you know has been in a vehicle accident, please contact us at the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. specializing in personal injury and wrongful death.

Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by less than 2 percent of Florida attorneys. He has handled over 1,500 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida. For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at  239. 337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com  for more information. You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County at 239.793.7748.