RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia State Police is preparing ahead of Tropical Storm Debby’s arrival to Central Virginia with all available state troopers and supervisors before and during the storm.
The agency took to X, formerly known as Twitter to urge safety to drivers and encouraging all Virginians to get ready and plan ahead.
Officials are calling on residents to postpone travel plans and avoid driving when possible.
Should residents need to drive, the agency provides these precautions to remember:
- Use headlights. Virginia law requires headlights on when your windshield wipers are activated. Increasing your visibility helps you to avoid slick, wet, and dangerous spots on the road, to include standing water and/or flooding. Headlights also help other drivers see you better.
- Don’t drive through standing water. As little as six inches of water can cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Standing water can also mask issues below the water’s surface. Turn around, don’t drown.
- Slow your speed. Though state police works closely with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to identify problem areas on Virginia’s highways during a storm, drivers still must drive for conditions. Slowing your speed gives you more time to safely react and avoid a crash. Drive your vehicle based on your ability to properly maintain control of your vehicle.
- Don’t tailgate. You need increased stopping distance on slick or wet road surfaces. Give yourself more space between vehicles traveling ahead of you in order to avoid rear end collisions.
- Buckle Up. Most crashes that occur during inclement weather are caused by vehicles sliding off the road or other vehicles. Wearing your seat belt protects you from being thrown around the inside of your vehicle and suffering serious injury in a crash.
- Put down your phone. Having to drive in heavy rain requires a driver’s full, uninterrupted attention. Do not text and drive or shoot video of the bad conditions while driving, as these actions put you, your passengers and other vehicles at extreme risk of a crash and/or injury.
- Check Your Vehicle. Make sure your vehicle is in good working order for the conditions. Fill up the tank in advance. Check windshield wipers, windshield wiper fluid, tire tread, battery life, etc.
- Don’t leave home without bottled water, snack, cell phone charger and flashlight.