[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It's back!  The first rain of the season is expected to strike overnight Tuesday and snarl Wednesday's morning rush hour commute.  Rain, especially the first rain after an extended dry period, will make the roads slick and poses extra danger for drivers.  Being prepared for the oncoming storm can help keep you safe while driving.  The number of reported accidents multiply during rainy weather, but following some simple rainy driving tips can reduce your risk. Prepare for the Drive If you know it's going to rain, be sure to check your windshield wipers, brakes, and headlights for any defects.  Barely-functioning windshield wipers or cloudy headlights can greatly harm visibility and worn brakes can make it difficult to make an emergency stop.  Be sure to allow extra time to get where you're going. Brake Earlier than Normal It takes a longer time for your vehicle to come to a stop in wet conditions.  Braking too suddenly in slippery conditions can cause you to lose control of your vehicle.  Beginning a braking maneuver early reduces the risk of stopping too late to avoid a collision or spinning out. Drive Slower than Normal Driving slower in wet weather can prevent situations where you're forced to come to an immediate stop.  With lower visibility comes slower reaction times and less time to stop.  Driving more slowly can counteract that. Leave More Space Between Cars than Normal Tailgating in the rain is can lead to a crash.  As it takes longer to stop in wet conditions, it's advised to leave a larger space than normal between vehicles. Turn On Headlights Other vehicles will be able to see you much easier in the rain if you have your headlights on.  If your windshield wipers are on your headlights should be on. But Leave your High Beams Off High beams can make it harder to see in rainy conditions and could pose a blinding danger to other drivers. Don't Drive Through Puddles or Standing Water Puddles and standing water can be hiding dangerous debris or potholes.  Attempting to drive through them can cause damage to your vehicle, but can also result in hydroplaning.  Hydroplaning is when your tires are not in contact with the road, but instead the water on the road.  If this happens, avoid braking, as it could cause you to lose control of the vehicle.  Only take your foot off the gas pedal until you regain control. If a vehicle not following these wet-weather safety tips hits your vehicle, call the Law Offices of Scott Warmuth Our car accident lawyers can help you seek medical care and financial compensation if you are the victim of an unsafe driver.  We offer 100% free consultations, so call us today at 888-517-9888![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If you've ever driven on the freeways of Southern California, you've almost certainly experienced a phantom traffic jam.  Sure, the traffic jam itself is real, but the cause of the slowdown seems to be an absolute mystery.  The backup disappears with no evidence of a collision, no tow truck, no vehicle with a flat tire, no highway patrol, no ladder in lanes, just nothing.  You may have briefly wondered what caused the mystery backup after arriving five minutes late to your destination, but probably forgot all about it ever happening immediately after.  The exact cause of any phantom traffic jam may remain a mystery, but understanding how traffic jams form can provide some clues. As one vehicle slows down, all the vehicles behind it must also slow down.  Humans tend to have a delayed reaction time and are prone to overreaction.  Let's say traffic is flowing at 50 mph.  A blue car lightly taps the brakes because a vehicle merged ahead of it, briefly slowing to 45 mph.  Now, to avoid a rear-end collision, all cars behind the blue car must also lightly tap the breaks and slow to 45 mph.  A red car in that long line overreacts, strongly tapping the brakes, slowing to 30 mph.  Now all cars behind the red car must slow to 30 mph to avoid rear-ending the car in front of it.  A white car fails to see everyone slowing to 30 mph and eventually slams on the brakes, stopping completely.  Every car behind the white car must now stop completely to avoid hitting the vehicle in front.  A traffic jam has officially formed without a collision occurring. In 2008, the University of Nagoya was able to demonstrate the creation of a phantom traffic jam in an experiment.  You can watch footage of that here. All it takes to create a traffic jam is one inconsiderate, aggressive, or inattentive driver.  That driver is likely not even aware of the inconvenience he or she is creating for every other vehicle.  Now, not every incident of lightly tapping one one's brakes is going to cause a traffic jam.  Traffic jams are much more likely to form in dense traffic.  On the freeways, for example, drivers will see many more traffic jams during rush hour when traffic density is at its peak.  At high levels of traffic density, traffic jams will almost always form, even on perfect roadways.  And as any Southern California driver who has ever driven on the 405 can attest, we don't have perfect roadways, so we should be prepared for the next traffic jam. Experts say that drivers who identify traffic ahead and anticipate the need to brake early don't have to slam on the brakes and potentially cause a backup for other drivers.  Other remedies to the problem of phantom traffic jams point to automation.  Lowering the speed limit dynamically when a traffic jam is detected miles ahead could break a traffic jam or prevent a larger one from forming.  Autonomous vehicles could also prevent traffic jams, as the vehicles would be able to talk to each other to avoid a backup in traffic.  These futuristic solutions are several years or even decades away from becoming reality. One surefire way for a traffic jam to form is a car accident.  The car accident attorneys at Law Offices of Scott Warmuth help the victims of car accidents pursue their personal injury claims with expert guidance and advocacy.  For a free injury consultation, call us today at 888-517-9888.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]