Heavy Rain in RGV Leads To Surge in Accidents

Over the weekend, much of the Rio Grande Valley experienced steady rainfall, contributing to dangerous roadway conditions. At least four car accidents occurred in the RGV as a result of the rain. The vast majority of Texas car accidents happen on clear or cloudy days, but rain is the top weather-related cause of accidents in the state. 

Learn more about the RGV crashes, the stats around weather-related crashes, and how to drive safely in the rain from the team here at Villalobos Law Firm, your McAllen auto accident injury lawyers.

The Rain-Related Car Accidents

Details regarding the crashes that occurred over the weekend are somewhat limited, but at least four accidents and a potential fifth accident happened due to weather conditions. 

On Friday, November 10, two separate accidents occurred in the same area near Bass Boulevard in Harlingen. The first accident involved two vehicles and led to the hospitalization of at least two people. 

The second accident happened just hours later when a vehicle hydroplaned and struck a wall. No one was hospitalized in relation to the second crash. One of the Friday wrecks involved a collision with a light pole near the highway.

The third accident happened Sunday, Nov 12, on the expressway also near Bass Boulevard in Harlingen.

The fourth reported accident happened in Edinburg that same Sunday night. The accident occurred at the intersection of Trenton Road and Jackson Road. A white sedan lost control and rolled over. No one was injured in the crash, according to authorities.

Finally, a fifth accident may also have happened over the course of the weekend due to the rain. According to reports, a damaged sedan was seen in La Feria pointing in the wrong direction on a westbound ramp of the expressway. 

How Common Are Weather-Related Car Accidents in Texas?

According to data from the Texas Department of Transportation, 91% of all Texas car accidents in 2022 happened during clear or cloudy weather. That means that only one in ten accidents occurred during poor weather conditions. 

However, when it comes to weather-related accidents, rain is by far the biggest culprit in Texas. In 2022, 82% of accidents that occurred in poor weather happened while it was raining. For comparison, fog, which was present in the second-highest number of cases, was involved in just 4% of all poor-weather crashes. 

How To Drive Safely in Rainy Weather

Because poor weather conditions are relatively uncommon in Texas, Texas drivers may be less familiar with the special precautions they should take while driving in the rain. If you plan on driving in rainy weather, follow the tips below to keep yourself safe:

• Wait till the rain passes
• Drive slowly
• Use headlights and wipers
• Leave plenty of room between vehicles
• Avoid heavy braking
• Watch for and avoid standing water
• Use your defroster to de-fog your windows
• If you start to hydroplane, let off the gas and don’t slam your brakes

If you’ve been involved in a weather-related car accident, you can reach out to a McAllen car accident attorney for help finding the path forward.

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Source: ValleyCentral4, ValleyCentral4