Avoiding weather-related crashes on Las Vegas roadways

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Rain, slick conditions, and fast drivers are a recipe for disaster on roadways this time of year.

On Tuesday, Nevada State Police tweeted out deadly crashes across the valley and advised drivers to slow down.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, 21% of vehicle crashes each year in the United States are weather-related.

Of those crashes, 73% were linked to wet pavement and 46% due to rain.

“You have to keep a longer distance between the car ahead of you and you have to anticipate,” said Victor Botnari, owner of Universal Motorcars. “If you accelerate the car will slip, changing lanes, you have to be more careful. So it’s a lot of factors that people have to pay attention to when they drive in rain.”

Botnari said he sees more cars come into his shop after the rain.

“People get in a wreck, it’s slippery and in Las Vegas, the asphalt releases a lot of greases and it’s an increase of numbers after that rate,” Botnari added.

He recommended maintaining windshield wipers and to double check tire tread.

“Minimum on the rain, it’s recommended 4/32 but more than that is recommended,” explained Botnari. “The key is the tires, that’s why cars slip, especially when you brake or accelerate, it can cause an accident.”

Meteorologist John Adair from the National Weather Service in Las Vegas has been busy tracking the weather and forecasting what else is to come.

“It does look like even next week, there’s another potential for a large Pacific system looming way out beyond a week, but we are looking at it,” said Adair. “The active Pacific storm system continues.”

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