Spring tornadoes are nothing new to the South. What’s different this year is their frequency.

As we leave our bureau in Midtown Atlanta, I glance at the towering Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, which is still missing many of its windows in the wake of the tornado that tore through the downtown tourist district March 14.

Today, we’re heading to Alabama to cover damage from yet another string of severe storms.

Heading West on I-20, there is a heavy downpour. The highway is slick. But people don’t seem to be slowing down.

We’ve witnessed some reckless driving — people following too close and, in one extreme case, a car using the interstate’s narrow left shoulder to pass a truck. We’ve also driven past half a dozen accident scenes.

During severe weather, everyone’s so focused on the wrath of nature, they often forget the human element can be equally (if not more) dangerous.