CHP Reports 107 Car Crashes, 1 Fatality on Interstate 805

Editor's Note: This story was updated at 7:30 p.m.

A motorcylist was killed in a collision with a Lexus on southbound Interstate 805 just north of Balboa Avenue around 6 a.m. Monday, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said.

The collision was one of 107 crashes on area freeways reported by 5 p.m. on a rainy Monday. There are typically 50 to 75 crashes in 24 hours on a normal weather day.

In the fatal collision, the two-wheeler struck the driver's side of the Lexus, ejecting the rider, Paul Palika of Oceanside. He died at the scene.

According to the NWS's preliminary rainfall statistics by 5 p.m., the storm had already dropped 1.2 inches of rain in Carlsbad.

Tuesday should bring partly cloudy skies, according to the weather service. There will be chances of mild precipitation on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights.

Here are tips from the Automobile Club of Southern California for staying safe as you drive in the rain and on roads lined with potholes, which may appear after the rains:

Tips for Rainy Day Driving

• Slow down. Be especially careful about driving through puddles. Slower driving also will help drivers be ready for sudden stops because of debris in the road or other weather-related hazards.
• Maintain extra distance behind other drivers. The Automobile Club says drivers need two to three times more stopping distance on wet pavement than dry, so the extra distance will come in handy if you need to make a sudden stop.
• Drive in center lanes to avoid outside lanes where water may pool.
• Stay aware of weather conditions by checking news reports. Also, avoid distractions while driving.

• Maintain proper air pressure. The right air pressure provides more cushion between the tire rim and the pothole, which can mitigate some of the damage. To find the right pressure for your car, consult the owner's manual, the sticker on the driver's side door jamb or inside the fuel filler flap.
• Slow down and hold the wheel firmly when driving over multiple potholes.
• Try not to brake directly over a pothole. This will shift the vehicle's weight to the front and worsen damage from the impact of hitting the pothole.
• Watch out for water that obscures how deep a pothole is. “Hitting even one severe pothole could alter the alignment of a wheel from suspension damage resulting in uneven tire wear,” said Steve Mazor at the Automobile Club of Southern California's Automotive Research Center. Uneven tire wear could hasten the need to replace the tires.
• Keep extra distance between cars in front of you so that you can see if there are potholes in the road.

City News Service contributed to this report.