Medstar paramedics stay busy on rainy days, but say accidents can be prevented
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) – If you have to head out on the roads, you're going to want to make sure you're road ready so you can keep yourself and other drivers safe.
CBS 11 rode along with a Medstar paramedic supervisor who says a lot of accidents that occur in rainy, icy conditions can be prevented.
"When it hasn't rained for a while the roads get the oil on them," said John Hamilton a operations supervisor with Medstar. "The the rain hits them, these conditions are just horrible for trying to drive on."
Rainy days like today keep John Hamilton and Medstar crews busy – accident calls tend to go into overdrive.
"You see all different kinds of accidents, you got people hitting each other they may be running into the median they may be running off the road," said Hamilton.
Hamilton responded to a scene of a crash where a man says a speeding driver caused him to crash his truck into a median.
"I turned up the ramp and I was just going there was a car real close on my butt and it just started hydroplaning I hit the wall right here and it slid over here," said driver Christopher Couchman. "It's just really dangerous and it scared the crap out of me."
Hamilton says drivers should slow down on rain-soaked streets.
"Generally what we see the reason for these accidents is people driving too fast for the conditions they don't leave enough space between the vehicle in front of them and they don't leave enough room to react to a sudden stop," said Hamilton.
He also says avoid driving into standing water.
"If youre hydroplaning you're moving uncontrolled because you've lost your ability to steer," said Hamilton.
It might take you a little longer to get home but you could save your life and others'.
"Sometimes the outcome is a lot worse than just banging up your vehicle, you could be hospitalized or even worse," said Hamilton.