Do You Know How to Stay Safe on Texas Roads in a Hailstorm?

Texas is known for some severe weather. It can cause fear in even the most seasoned of drivers, but being prepared in advance can help alleviate that fear. If you’re caught driving in a hailstorm, you can’t always get to safety in short order, but there are precautionary steps you can take. Driving during one of these disastrous storms can cause accidents, injury, and death. Be aware of your surroundings, and if you suspect that a hail storm is on its way, try to make arrangements to get off the road at your earliest and safest convenience. If you’re unable to do so, here are some tips for staying safe on Texas roads when driving in a hailstorm:

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• Turn on your low beam headlights, reduce your speed, and maintain awareness of other vehicles around you.
• If you have to continue driving until you can find safety, give yourself three times the normal distance between your vehicle and the one ahead, to avoid any rear-end collisions.
• Pull over to the side of the road or the nearest spot with shelter and stay inside the vehicle. However, do not park under an overpass and impede the flow of traffic. With the high rate of speed that hail falls at, people are easily injured in its path. This may also mitigate damage to your windshield or windows, since driving can compound the impact. Also, if you’re on the shoulder of the road, ensure your vehicle is completely out of the line of traffic.
• Avoid ditches due to the possibility of rising water.
• If possible, ensure your vehicle is angled such that the hail hits the front of it. With reinforced glass, windshields are able to better withstand the pelting of some hail.
• If you’re able to, lie down in the vehicle, with your back to the windows. And, if one is handy, cover yourself with a blanket to prevent injury from possible debris.