You can avoid a car accident during El Niño by slowing down on wet roads, leaving extra space, using low beams, and never driving into floodwater. Getting your car ready before the storms arrive and staying home when officials warn against travel lower the risk further.
If someone who ignored the rain crashes into you, Omega Law Group Accident & Injury Attorneys can help with the claim, and a car accident lawyer in West Hollywood on our team can review what happened.
Why Are California Officials Warning Drivers About This El Niño?
California officials are warning drivers because forecasters expect an unusually strong El Niño this winter. On September 21, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide state of emergency to prepare for it, as MyNewsLA reported.
The governor’s office says Caltrans is staging road-closure and traffic-control equipment along high-risk highways. The state also expects heavy rain, flooding, landslides, and debris flows, all of which can close roads with little notice.
Sign up for emergency alerts through Listos California before the first storm. An alert about a flooded road helps far more on your phone at home than after you’ve reached the water. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is expanding these alerts in several languages this season.
How Should You Get Your Car Ready for El Niño Storms?
You should get your car ready for El Niño storms by checking the parts that help you see, stop, and grip the road. Before the rainy season, check:
- Tire tread and pressure, since worn or underinflated tires can’t push water out of the way
- Wiper blades, replacing any that streak or skip, and the washer fluid level
- Headlights, brake lights, and turn signals, with clean lenses
- The defroster, so you can clear fogged windows quickly
- An emergency kit with water, a flashlight, a phone charger, a first-aid kit, and a blanket
Fix problems before a storm, not during one. A car with weak brakes or a dead headlight is unsafe on a dry night and far worse in a downpour. Avoiding a car accident during El Niño starts in your driveway, weeks before the first heavy rain.
How Much Should You Slow Down in the Rain?
You should slow down by 5 to 10 mph on a wet road, according to the California Driver’s Handbook. The handbook adds that if you can’t see farther than 100 feet in heavy rain, driving faster than 30 mph is unsafe.
The posted limit is a ceiling for good conditions. California’s basic speed law, Cal. Veh. Code § 22350, can make driving at the limit illegal when rain cuts visibility on the I-10 or the 405.
Spacing matters as much as speed. The DMV recommends at least a three-second gap on dry pavement, which is about 286 feet at 65 mph, and more on wet roads. Some drivers aim for a football field’s length in rain, which is a reasonable floor at freeway speed.
Should You Use High Beams in Heavy Rain?
You should not use high beams in heavy rain, because the light reflects off raindrops and fog and makes it harder to see. The DMV handbook recommends low beams in fog for the same reason.
Turn your headlights on whenever your wipers run continuously. That’s the law under Cal. Veh. Code § 24400, and it helps other drivers see you through the spray.
Leave your phone alone, too. California bars holding a phone while driving under Cal. Veh. Code § 23123.5, and a glance down at a phone costs more stopping distance on wet pavement.
What Should You Do if Your Car Hydroplanes?
If your car hydroplanes, take your foot off the gas and slow down gradually without slamming the brakes, as the DMV handbook advises. Keep the steering wheel pointed where you want to go and avoid sharp turns.
Hydroplaning means the tires are riding on water instead of the road. Sudden braking or steering while the tires have no grip can send the car into a spin once traction returns.
You can often hear the warning sign. The handbook says to slow down if your tires start making a sloshing sound, and to steer around standing water when you can do so safely.
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Is It Ever Safe to Drive Through Floodwater?
It is never safe to drive through floodwater, because you can’t judge its depth or current from behind the wheel. Twelve inches of water can float a small car, and 18 to 24 inches of flowing water can sweep away cars, pickups, and large SUVs, according to the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service also reports that more than half of flood deaths happen in vehicles when people try to drive through flooded roads. Underpasses and low spots on surface streets fill first.
Turn around, even if the car ahead made it across or a map app sends you that way. Respect every barricade Caltrans or local crews put up, and wait for conditions to improve if you can.
What if Another Driver Causes an El Niño Car Accident?
If another driver causes an El Niño car accident that injures you, get out of the travel lanes and call 911 if anyone is hurt. Stay inside the car if traffic is close, since passing drivers may not see you in the rain. Once it’s safe:
- Report the crash to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department West Hollywood Station on city streets like Sunset Boulevard, or to the California Highway Patrol on the freeway
- Photograph the cars, the road surface, standing water, and any debris
- Get the other driver’s insurance information and contact details for witnesses
- Get a medical exam at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center or another hospital the same day
Rain doesn’t excuse a driver who was going too fast or following too closely. Omega Law Group looks at what the other driver did in those conditions, and the firm recovered $2,000,000 in one auto accident case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
El Niño Driving Safety FAQs
These answers cover a few more questions about driving safely during this storm season.
When Is El Niño Expected to Peak This Winter?
El Niño is expected to keep strengthening through the end of 2026 and likely last through January to March 2027, according to the Climate Prediction Center as of October 8, 2026. Storms can still arrive in any month of the rainy season.
Does All-Wheel Drive Prevent Hydroplaning?
All-wheel drive does not prevent hydroplaning. It helps a car add power down but doesn’t keep the tires in contact with standing water. Speed and tread depth matter far more, so slow down when you’re on wet roads.
Can You Get a Ticket for Driving the Speed Limit in the Rain?
You can get a ticket for driving the speed limit in the rain, because § 22350 bars any speed that is unreasonable for the conditions. The same rule helps prove fault when a speeding driver causes a crash, and the lawyers at Omega Law Group use it in storm cases.
Get Help From Omega Law Group After an El Niño Car Accident
Knowing how to avoid a car accident during El Niño protects you, but it can’t stop a careless driver behind you on a flooded freeway. If one injures you this storm season, Omega Law Group can investigate the crash and pursue the compensation your case supports.
Call Omega Law Group for a free consultation. Let our family take care of your family: we take calls 24/7, help in Spanish, and charge no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you.
