SIDNEY — Driving safely in water-covered roads is a concern for Shelby County Sheriff John Lenhart.

Heavy rains and strong winds, he said, can make driving hazardous for county residents.

“Twenty-five of our accidents are because of the weather,” said Lenhart in his weekly column. “We advise everyone to slow down and stay off their phones and texting in that setting (bad weather).”

Gusts of wind, he said, are unanticipated even when it has been forecasted that winds could reach 30-50 mph.

“If you’re traveling on Interstate 75 and going 70 mph, the gusts of wind can blow the car around,” said Lenhart. “This is true especially when you are passing a semi or it’s passing you. I recommend you pass a semi quickly and stay away from the semi as you can.”

If you’re passing a semi, he said, get as far to the left side of the road as you can. If the semi is passing you, get as far to the right of the road as possible.

“It’s also recommended that you keep both hands on the steering wheel,” said Lenhart. “The ideal positions are 10 a.m. for the left hand and 2 p.m. for the right hand. These are important factors to keep control of your car.”

Lenhart said when a rain starts, a thin layer of water gets on the road and a little oil from the road mixes with the water. This causes the road to be slicker than normal.

“A car can hydroplane with just a thin layer of water on the road,” said Lenhart. “We urge everyone to slow down when it starts raining.”

Standing water in a roadway should also be avoided said Lenhart.

“Don’t drive through standing water in the roads,” said Lenhart. “Twelve inches of moving water will move your car. We see people go around barriers all the time. They should find an alternate route to drive.

“The same is with parking lots. If there’s a barrier up, that may mean the parking lot has drainage issues and there could be a hole under the water,” he said. “The force of flowing water is serious stuff.”

He said during storms there’s a possibility of powerlines falling into the roads and then are covered with water.

“The power lines will still have electricity running through them,” said Lenhart.

He also has a tip for drivers if their brakes get wet.

“If your tires and brakes get wet because you’ve driven through standing water, you should drive slowly with your left foot on the brake. This will help drain the water off the brake pads and they’ll be ready to use when you need them.

“If you get in a situation where you’re in the water in your vehicle, you could get trapped or your vehicle could stall out. If this happens, abandon the vehicle and call 911,” he said. “don’t sit in your car because we don’t want you to get stranded in the vehicle. The water will rise quickly and you could be in harms way.”

Lenhart also addressed the tragic death of Rylan Ferguson, 6, of Sidney.

“To the Ferguson family, on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office employees, our hearts and prayers go out to you,” said Lenhart. “We know this has been tough on your family.”

Lenhart said he was appreciative of the teamwork between the Sheriff’s Office, fire departments and rescue squads during the search for Rylan Sunday and Monday.