FACTS
- Reduced Traction: Wet pavement decreases tire grip, making it harder to brake, steer, and accelerate safely—especially at higher speeds.
- Hydroplaning Risk: When tires lose contact with the road surface due to standing water, the vehicle can slide uncontrollably with no steering response.
- Limited Visibility: Heavy rain, fogged windshields, and water spray from other vehicles reduce sight distance and reaction time.
- Longer Stopping Distance: Rain-soaked roads require significantly more distance to come to a full stop, increasing collision risk in traffic.
- Hidden Road Hazards: Puddles can conceal potholes, debris, or uneven pavement that may cause tire damage or sudden swerving.
- Windshield Glare: Water on the windshield scatters light from oncoming vehicles, creating glare and temporary vision distortion.
- Impaired Driver Judgment: Stressful weather conditions can cause drivers to overcorrect, brake suddenly, or misjudge curves and lane positions.
STATS
- In the US, wet pavement contributes to 75% of weather-related crashes annually, with 47% occurring during rainfall, leading to over 860,000 accidents each year (2020-2024 average).
- Canada sees thousands of rain-related crashes annually; Ontario alone reports over 14,000 collisions every year on wet pavement (Ontario Ministry of Transportation).
- The risk of deadly car crashes increases by 34% during rain, snow, and ice in Canada and the US due to slippery roads, based on 2020-2023 meteorological data.
- In the US, rain is responsible for 11% of all crashes, 10% of injuries, and 8% of fatalities annually (2020-2025), with wet roads causing 21% of total weather-related incidents.
- Wet pavement fatalities in the US averaged 4,050 per year (2020-2024), accounting for 12% of all traffic deaths and 76% of weather-related fatalities.
- In Canada, over 45,000 car accidents are reported each spring (2020-2025), with rainy conditions contributing significantly to slips, hydroplaning, and reduced visibility.