AUSTIN — It's a running joke here in Austin, people around here cannot drive on wet or icy roads, and a new report backs that up.
The Allstate America's Best Drivers Report ranks the country's largest 200 cities to determine which have the safest drivers when precipitation is part of the equation.
The report put the city of Austin near the bottom of the list for driving well in wet conditions.
Allstate researchers use a predictive model that standardizes the rankings to account for the fact that weather conditions vary dramatically across the United States and affect roadway safety.
"I don't think Texas, as a whole, is prepared in bad weather driving," said Mary Taylor-Doucet, who drives every day around Austin. "I would agree that driving in the rain is not pretty good."
Out of 200 cities in the nation ranked by the report, Austin came in at number 158.
"I do know is when it freezes, the roads are a bit tricky for Texans," Kelly Korbet-Weinschenk said, who also drives on Austin roads.
Sergeant Robbie Barrera with the Texas Department of Public Safety said these results could change by following a few steps.
He said it's important to always do system checks to see if headlights and brake lights work and to check your tires, heater, defroster, brakes, windshield wipers and windshield washer fluid level.
Speed is also an issue during rainy weather, and it's important to slow down and give yourself extra time to get where you're going.
If your car skids, don't slam on the breaks. Instead, gently steer in the direction you're going and release the acceleration until traction returns.
"I leave more room between cars and take my time to get somewhere and try to slow down," Taylor-Doucet said.
Being ranked so low in safety during wet weather is something to think about before hitting the road on a wet rainy day.
"Take your time and don't be late," Korbet-Weinschenk said. "I find that being one of my biggest challenges in life because I drive safer when I'm not late."
If you travel to Brownsville, Laredo, Midland or McAllen, they were among the top 10 safest driving cities during wet conditions.
For the full report, click here.