Driving in the rain, especially in the dark, can be nerve-racking. Here are some tips to stay safe:

- Stay alert and avoid distractions.

- Turn on headlights and ensure windshield wipers and tires are in good condition.

- Slow down and allow for more stopping distance when it’s raining.

- Beware of hydroplaning which is when your tires have more traction on water than on the road, resulting in your car sliding uncontrollably. It can occur in one-twelfth of an inch of water and at speed of more than 35 miles per hour. If you start to hydroplane, let off the accelerator slowly, and steer straight until you regain control.

Vehicle collisions with deer and elk tend to peak in October and November, when migration and breeding puts them on the move, making them more likely to cross roads. Fewer daylight hours and rainy weather also reduce drivers' visibility. If you see an animal on or near the road, slow down and stay in your lane. Always wear your seat belt.

Fall is upon us and with the end of Daylight Saving Time around the corner, it's a good opportunity to check vehicles for safety recalls. There are millions of vehicles on the road with potentially life-threatening safety recalls — yet 25% of them are never repaired. Stay informed about YOUR car: NHTSA.gov/Recalls. If your car has a recall, get it fixed! Vehicle safety recalls are FREE to repair — and you could save a life.

November 18-22 is National Crash Responder Safety Week. This Federal Highway Administration-sponsored initiative highlights the simple steps everyone can take to keep roadway responders and the public safe around traffic incidents. Every minute of every day, our incident responders and maintenance crew members, along with law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergency medical services, towing, and others, work to make roadways safe for all road users. These traffic incident responders put their lives at risk when clearing each of the nearly 6 million annual motor vehicle crashes or the broader range of incidents such as stalled vehicles or roadway debris. Let’s join in thanking them for their work and keeping them safe!

Each year, 1.19 million people are killed on roadways around the world. Road traffic injuries are now the leading killer of people aged 5-29 years.

World Day of Remembrance on November 17 is a platform for road traffic victims and their families to remember all people killed and seriously injured on the roads, acknowledge the crucial work of the emergency services, draw attention to the generally trivial legal response to culpable road deaths and injuries and advocate for an appropriately serious response, advocate for better support for road traffic victims and victim families, and promote evidence-based actions to prevent and eventually stop further road traffic deaths and injuries.

On World Day we too pay tribute to the dedicated emergency crews, police and medical professionals, who deal daily with the traumatic aftermath of road crashes.

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