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Heavy Rains Quadruple The Number Of Accidents Around LA

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — It only took a few inches of rain to turn most roads into a nightmare during Tuesday's powerful storm. Drivers were forced to slow down through the 170 at the 101 freeways in North Hollywood, where several feet of rain water caused flooding, and at least one car to get stuck.

Earlier a big rig crashed over the side of the 5 at the 118 in mission hills.  The truck driver was taken to the hospital.

Dashcam video showed a KCAL9 co-worker who was hit by a car and had his car hydroplane on the 5 near Sylmar.  Everyone was OK.

Ashley Higgins says driving for her was treacherous Tuesday.

"There was a lot of flooding, people are just you know very nervous, there's a lot of people racing so if people could slow down that would be awesome, it was scary," Higgins said.

The CHP kept busy.

During the afternoon and morning rush hours they say there were 397 crashes in L.A. County, compared to the same time periods last Tuesday of just 100.

They say heavy rain after a long period with no rain causes the roads to be extra slippery because grease and oil have soaked into the pavement.

 

"When you drive through the puddles your car kind of moves around so you have to go slower," Becky Jimenez said.

The rain also caused road closures. Drivers were detoured off several streets in the Sepulveda basin for fears of flooding.  Earlier a man and his dog were rescued there because of rising water.

Many drivers say it was dangerous, but are grateful we got some much-needed moisture.

"I do appreciate the rain because we haven't been getting no rain but it does affect us in many ways," Jesus Torres said.

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