Collision shops busy as rare heavy rain creates hazardous driving conditions in San Diego

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The rare wet weather for San Diego leads to some of the most treacherous conditions we see all year. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), accidents spike as the slick roads wash the oil off highways and some drivers will find a patch of oil that simply won’t hold.

“Consistently in the rain, customers will spin out and hit a guardrail or rear-end somebody,” said Jason Miller.

Jason Miller from Miller Collision says these brief rainy periods create a serious back up for his team in Kearney Mesa.

“Generally, the phone starts ringing off the hook. Usually a couple of days after the rain, that's when all the tow trucks start showing up and it gets pretty wild,” Miller said.

Without the weather, Miller stays busy with overly excited drivers.

“'Mr. yellow pole' is a good resource for us, he sends us a lot of business,” said Miller.

But on days like this, Miller has some sage advice for anyone listening at home.

Miller says most of the accidents that come in from the rain are because of one specific reason.

"Most of the accidents that come in during the rain are because of bald tires, no traction. They start doing 360s and the have an E ticket ride that they didn’t pay for,” said Miller.

And so, the few hundred dollars on tires might be far less than the alternative.

Take it from a crash expert.

“Slow it down, check your tires and give yourself extra time to get where you need to go,” said Miller.