BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — This weekend unleashed one of the fiercest downpours Kern County has seen recently — Here's what this means for drivers: the hidden dangers on soaked roads, the warning signs, and the lifesaving tips to keep you safe.
Rain over the weekend left roads across Kern County slick and hazardous — contributing to a spike in crashes.
“We always see a little bit of a rise when there’s inclement weather like this. From Friday night to Monday morning, we had about 60 calls for service regarding traffic collisions.” Sergeant Caleb Kaiser with the Bakersfield Police Department said.
Officers say it’s important to slow down, especially when driving in wet weather. Many of the collisions happened in just seconds — drivers losing control while changing lanes, hydroplaning at higher speeds, or sliding into other cars because they didn’t have enough stopping distance. With more rain in the forecast this week, they’re urging drivers to take it slow, turn on headlights, and leave extra space between vehicles — especially at night or during heavier downpours.
“Here in Bakersfield, we’re not really used to this type of weather. So we always like to remind our community to slow down and take extra time. Your visibility is reduced, your ability to stop in time is reduced, so leave a little bit early and make sure you’re lowering your speed.” Sergeant Kaiser with the Bakersfield Police Department said.
On Saturday, Bakersfield hit a rainfall record — 1.23 inches in a single day.
Grace Laverriere, 23 ABC's morning weather forecaster, says, “That is the all-time record for that date since we started keeping records back in the late 1800s. So that was a significant amount of rain for us to receive in just one day, and it was like that all across the county. We saw a lot of rain on Saturday.”
Grace tells me there were widespread roadway impacts — from local flooding and road closures to rockslides in the canyons, along with slick and dangerous roadways.
Sergeant Kaiser adds that posted speed limits are meant for ideal driving conditions — and when roads are wet, conditions are anything but ideal.
Roads are still slick — encouraging drivers to slow down, leave extra distance between cars, and drive with extra caution.
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