Every city on the Central Coast woke up to the sound of rainfall Tuesday morning.
Some local residents are welcoming the showers with open arms.
“It's actually kind of nice. It’s good for the flowers. I know everyone has a sense of urgency in the rain, they are always trying to run out of it, but it’s actually not that bad," said San Luis Obispo resident Ian Ostrosky.
Others weren’t as prepared for the rainfall.
“You know, I moved to SLO not really anticipating the rain, so this is definitely, you know, an outlier. I didn’t really pack... this is my only sweatshirt," said Cal Poly student Jacob Nater.
But no matter what your opinion is on the rain, local authorities say the phrase of the day for drivers in rainy conditions should be to “slow down.”
“Since yesterday, since when we got the initial rains, we started seeing an increase in our accidents," said Captain Scott Safechuck, Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
On Tuesday morning, a man was killed in a crash on southbound Highway 101 near Highway 154 in Santa Barbara County.
Although the cause of the crash is unknown, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department said it was raining at the time.
“People are just not slowing down for the rain. They’re still driving under the conditions… they think it’s still dry conditions out there," Safechuck said.
Rain brings increased risk while driving. That’s why local authorities say to conduct a safety check prior to driving anywhere.
That includes checking your tires, windshield wipers, and signal lights.
“People just need to be extra diligent about the way they drive. They need to be aware of their surroundings and take that extra space between your car and the next when you come to stop in traffic," Safechuck added.
Safechuck said they do expect more accidents throughout the day and into the evening hours.
