Law Enforcement warns drivers of hazards during rain & flooding
GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Storms are expected to drop between 2 and 6 inches of rain, and that has the potential to cause flooding in many areas.
Law enforcement agencies are encouraging drivers to be mindful of the water on the road and to take extra precautions.
“It’s always good,” Colby Huffman said. “If you’re planning on traveling or just doing your day in and day out. And that’s one of the first things I do every morning is check the weather, see what it’s going to be like. And also keeping, you know, proper tires that have proper tread depth on them, and also having, you know, proper windshield wipers in proper working order. So there, you know, it helps them see when it is raining. ”
Officers with the Starkville Police Department said they have recorded more than 800 wrecks in the past year, and a contributing factor is often weather conditions.
As SPD’s Motor Unit Corporal, Colby Huffman said they responded to several wrecks due to flooding and rain-slick roads within the past 24 hours.
“So if the weather is too rough, where you don’t feel comfortable driving,” Huffman said. “But, you know, again, we ask you to turn on your headlights so you can see and be seen. And then the second thing we ask is to pull safely and completely off of the roadway.”
Mississippi Highway Patrol Public Affairs Supervisor, Derrick Beckom, said being prepared for the weather ahead can help drivers get to their destination safely..
“You know, with the weather, we don’t know it’s Mississippi,” Beckom said. “You know, we could have snow next week, you know, here. That’s just the way it is. We just again, we maintenance checks are huge, you know, and then events like today’s rain, you know, give yourself a little bit of leeway to get to work or wherever it is you’re traveling so that you’re not speeding, exceeding the speed limit.”
You can keep up to date on the latest conditions by following WCBI’s Weather Team at our website or on social media.
