MIAMI – People in South Florida are heading to their local stores to stock up on supplies in preparation for Tropical Storm Erika.
The No. 1 supply Local 10 News reporter Ben Kennedy saw people stocking up on Friday morning was water. One woman walked out of a Pembroke Pines Publix with five cases of water for her family.
Employees also saw batteries and canned goods flying off the shelves.
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The latest forecast shows that the storm is expected to hit South Florida by Monday, potentially as a Category 1 hurricane. Gov. Rick Scott has even declared a state of emergency in Florida in anticipation of the storm.
Items that are recommended to purchase ahead of a potential hurricane include a gallon of water per person a day, canned goods, a manual can opener, batteries, baby food, diapers, pet food, kitty litter and prescription drugs.
***Preparing your home for a storm
Windows are a main priority and one of the most vulnerable parts of a home during a hurricane or tropical storm.
Residents are urged to prepare to put shutters up, or stock up on plywood that is cut to fit the windows that need to be covered.
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By Thursday, some people were already seen having their trees trimmed to prevent more damage during a storm. Weather officials advise having loose limbs cut down, and coconuts or other fruits removed from trees, because they can become projectiles during a severe storm.
Any patio furniture and plants are also advised to be placed inside.
***Driving safely during a storm
While most people hope to stay safely indoors during a storm, some are forced to drive, sometimes through flooding.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 1.2 million crashes occur each year on wet pavement, with more than a half million injuries and about 5,700 deaths.
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"It's important that drivers heed official warnings and avoid driving on wet and flooded roads if able," said Montrae Waiters, AAA spokeswoman, The Auto Club Group. "Driving through standing water is especially dangerous, because you never know just how deep the water is or what you are driving over."
According to AAA, if a vehicle shuts down while in standing water it's important not to try to restart it.
"Restarting a vehicle in standing water can cause more water to enter the engine and could cost thousands of dollars to repair," said Waiters.
Tips for driving on wet roads provided by AAA:
• Check Tires: Make sure tires are properly inflated and have enough tread depth. This will allow the vehicle to have better traction and maneuverability on the road. Worn tires with little tread are much more likely to hydroplane on wet pavement, resulting in a loss of braking power and steering control. Check the tread depth of your car's tires by inserting a quarter upside down into a tire groove. If you can see above Washington's head at any point, it's time for new tires.
• Slow Down and Leave Room: Slowing down during wet weather driving can be critical to reducing a car's chance of hydroplaning, when the tires rise up on a film of water. With as little as ½ inch of water on the road, tires have to displace a gallon of water per second to keep the rubber meeting the road. Drivers should reduce their speed to correspond to the amount of water on the roadway. At speeds as low as 35 mph, new tires can still lose some contact with the roadway. Also, it is important for motorists to allow ample stopping distance between cars by increasing the following distance of the vehicle in front of them and beginning to slow down to stop for intersections, turns and other traffic early.
• Avoid Cruise Control: This feature works great in dry conditions, but when used in wet conditions, the chance of losing control of the vehicle can increase. To prevent loss of traction, the driver may need to reduce the car's speed by lifting off the accelerator, which cannot be accomplished when cruise control is engaged.
• Rainy Conditions Can Cause Low Visibility: Turn on your headlights to help you see better and to allow other motorists to spot you better. Avoid using your high beams because you could blind other drivers and the extra light will reflect off the rain, causing more of a distraction for you.
• Visibility While Driving: If you can't see the edges of the road or other vehicles at a safe distance while driving during wet weather, pull of the road as far as you can and wait for the rain to ease up. Make sure to turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers.
• Avoid Standing Water and Flooded Roads at All Times: There is no way to tell how deep standing water is on a flooded road and driving through it can cause a vehicle to stall and result in severe damage to the vehicle from:
o Flooding the engine
o Warping brake rotors
o Loss of power steering
o Short in electrical components
• If Your Vehicle Stalls in a Flooded Area: Do not remain in the car. Abandon it as soon as possible and seek higher ground. Flood waters can elevate quickly, sweeping away the vehicle and its occupants.
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