// Guide · Driving in storms

Get your car ready for the first rain.

The first rain after a long dry spell lifts months of oil off the road, and worn tires and old wipers make it worse. Most of this takes five minutes in your driveway.

About this tool

Car check

What it is: A short checklist for tires, wipers, lights and a car kit, plus what to do when you have to drive in a storm.
Why it’s here: Worn tires stop about 90 feet later on wet roads, and a car is where many people are when a storm turns dangerous.
What it helps with: Being able to see, stop and get home safely in rain, fog and wind, and having what you need if you’re stuck.
How to use it: Go out to the car and work down the list. Checkmarks stay on this device. When the tread and wipers pass, mark the step done on your 95821 page.

Tool

Before the first rain

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On storm days

If you have to drive

Plan trips around the storm’s peak. Your ZIP page shows which day and which hazards.
Slow down on the first rain and leave extra room. Roads are slickest then.
Turn around at flooded roads. 12 inches of moving water can carry away most cars; 2 feet can carry away SUVs and trucks. You can’t tell the depth or whether the road beneath is gone.
In Tule fog, use low beams, slow down and leave room. Visibility can drop to a few feet.
Watch for downed limbs and lines, and dark traffic signals: treat them as four-way stops.

If a power line falls on your car, stay inside, call 911 and wait for the utility. Only leave if the car is on fire: jump clear without touching the car and the ground at the same time, then shuffle away with your feet together.

Insurance

Flood damage and trees falling on a car are covered only by the comprehensive part of an auto policy, which is optional in California. Check your declarations page before the season.

In Sacramento

Road closures: Caltrans QuickMap for highways. County roads blocked by trees or flooding: 311 or 916-875-4311.

Sources

Checked October 19, 2026.