Will highways be closed during heavy rain?

[Ray]

Highways may be closed during heavy rain. When driving on highways in rainy conditions, it is essential to exercise caution by fastening your seatbelt, as wet roads and strong winds can cause vehicles to drift. It is crucial to control your speed, avoid speeding, and maintain a consistent speed to prevent skidding. Here are some precautions for driving on highways in the rain: 1. Ensure visibility: Before starting the car, the driver should ensure clear visibility. Rain can cause side mirrors to become wet and blur the driver's vision, so it is important to wipe them dry to clearly observe the movement of vehicles behind and react quickly. 2. Check vehicle braking power: Before departure, promptly inspect the vehicle's braking system to prevent accidents caused by brake failure due to water ingress. 3. Avoid sudden braking in water: Reduce speed when passing through puddles to prevent water splashes from obscuring the windshield. Do not brake suddenly to avoid water on the highway; instead, maintain the vehicle's direction. 4. Avoid overtaking in construction zones: Pay attention to highway signs and slow down in advance for construction areas. Due to poor visibility in the rain, avoid overtaking or occupying other lanes in construction zones. 5. Change lanes quickly: When overtaking or changing lanes, use side and rearview mirrors to assess the distance from other vehicles, then activate the turn signal and overtake swiftly. 6. Inspect vehicle wiring to prevent breakdowns: Before setting off in the rain, check the vehicle's wiring and address any exposed wires to prevent short circuits at high speeds and avoid breakdowns on the highway. 7. Use lights for signaling: On highways, use high and low beams to signal other vehicles and communicate the distance between vehicles. 8. Choose a safe spot for emergency stops: Select a location with good visibility for emergency stops, avoiding areas near bridges where fog can reduce visibility. When stopping, turn on hazard lights and place a warning triangle near the vehicle; if possible, prepare rain gear.

[MacSavannah]

A few days ago, I encountered a highway closure due to heavy rain while driving on the expressway. The road administration mainly considers two indicators: whether the short-term rainfall exceeds 50 millimeters, and whether visibility drops below 50 meters. At that time, even with the wipers at maximum speed, I couldn’t see the road signs clearly. Suddenly, the radio announced a road closure ahead, and all vehicles turned on their hazard lights, slowly moving off the expressway. Remember to check the local traffic police’s social media updates before heading out—mountainous sections like the Shanghai-Shaanxi Expressway are prone to water accumulation, with roads turning into small rivers. Navigation apps provide real-time updates on road closures. If stuck in traffic, promptly turn on hazard lights and avoid using the emergency lane recklessly.

[StDerek]

Last Saturday, I encountered this situation while driving my child to a competition in a neighboring city. The electronic display at the highway entrance suddenly flashed a red rainstorm warning and road closure notice, forcing all vehicles to make U-turns at the toll gate and detour via national highways. According to a friend working in road administration, their command center activates contingency plans whenever weather radar echoes turn purple. Particularly for cross-sea bridges prone to crosswinds or tunnel cluster sections, heavy rain triggers immediate closures – last year’s pileup accident on Qingyu Bridge being a case in point. Now I’ve learned to call 12122 for road conditions before traveling during storms, and tuning the car radio to the highway channel proves equally helpful.

[MacPiper]

I worked at a maintenance station for five years, and closing roads during heavy rain is actually a scientific decision. Highways are equipped with water accumulation monitors that automatically trigger alarms when water exceeds 7 cm; vehicle distance recognition cameras on the road activate when visibility is poor. Last year during equipment maintenance, I saw the command center's large screen—when heavy rain turns entire road sections red, closures are immediately enforced. This is especially true for sections with many S-shaped curves, where heavy rain can easily cause hydroplaning and loss of control. Nowadays, some new cars come with road weather warning features, which are quite practical.

[OMarcus]

Last year during the rainy season, I got stuck on the way back from Hangzhou to Shanghai. The highway looked like a water curtain cave during the heavy rain, with the taillights of distant cars appearing blurry. The radio suddenly announced traffic control ahead, and the navigation showed the entire route turning red. A traffic officer said some cars had already skidded and hit the guardrails. Later, I learned from the news that the high surface temperature combined with the heavy rain had caused a water film effect. Now, whenever I take the highway during heavy rain, I always prepare some dry food and water, just in case I'm directed into a service area to wait for further notice.

[LeviRose]

I still remember this situation vividly from the last road trip with my parents. Halfway through the journey, pea-sized raindrops started pounding down. Just after passing a service area, we saw electronic signs flashing 'Road Closed Due to Weather.' Maintenance vehicles with flashing yellow lights were guiding cars to exit via the ramp. The toll booth attendant told us there were three spots ahead where water had risen above wheel hubs. The lesson learned: avoid highways with downhill sections during heavy rains as poor drainage easily causes water accumulation. Now I keep highway rescue numbers saved in my phone, and if the fastest wiper setting can't clear the water properly, I immediately look for an exit.