Hydroplaning is a very dangerous
condition where your vehicle's tire actually "rides" on
top of water. As you drive your tires need to displace water in
order for the tread to contact the pavement. In moderate rain, a
tire needs to displace about 2 gallons of water each second. Higher
speeds and increased water levels (like a puddle) can exceed the
amount of water a tire can displace. If a tire can't displace the
necessary amount of water, a wedge of water builds up beneith the
tire. At that point there is no traction in any direction and the
vehicle will go out of control.
If you find yourself in a hydroplaning
situation, do not slam on the brakes. Grip the steering wheel firmly
and apply the brakes lightly using steady, firm pressure. If you
begin sliding sideways, steer into the direction the car is sliding.
When traction is regained, steering control will return. For cars
equipped with anti-lock
brakes, drivers should apply heavy steady pressure - don't pump
the brakes.
You can avoid hydroplaning by avoiding
standing pools of water and reducing speeds. When going over puddles
to allow the tyre time to displace the water and maintain it's grip.
It's important to note that tire tread depth also plays an important
role because your tire's grip in wet condition decreases as tread
depth decreases. The best advice is to periodically inspect your
vehicle's tires and avoid driving on worn tires. Finally, many tire
manufacturers make tires specially designed to reduce hydroplaining.
They utilize a traction design engineered to "pump" water
away from the tread surface.
