Hydroplaning is something that can happen to any driver. Rainy conditions bring difficulty for any driver regardless of skill level. Of course, we can’t always avoid the rain but we can take measures to minimize the chances of a hydroplane. If you do end up sliding in the wet though, know what to do so you can control your car and prevent accidents. Hydroplaning is what happens when your car’s tires lose traction with the road after hitting a patch of stagnant water. This leads to loss of control and in some cases, a crash. You can make sure that if you do end up in such a situation that you know what to do so you can avoid this.
Prevention
There are many different steps you can take to make sure you don’t lose control of your vehicle in the wet. Some are things to keep mind of when driving, while others include your car’s maintenance and general condition. Here are some tips to keep yourself away from a hydroplane disaster:
1. Turn off your cruise control. – This one may seem strange, but when driving in wet conditions it is a good idea to turn your cruise off. When this is on, you are less in touch with the vehicle’s condition and interaction with the weather. It may also cause more of a panic when you lose traction as the only way to slow down is to use the breaks.
2. Drive a little slower. – This one can be a bit harder to make yourself do. When we’re in traffic, we tend to “go with the flow”, but if the rain’s coming down you’re more likely to lose traction the faster you’re going. You’ll also slide less as it won’t take as much time to slow down.
3. Don’t panic! – Of course, this one is both obvious and very hard to do. Though it is one of the most important things if you can remember. When you panic, you tend to make more rash decisions. Because of this, you may even make things worse by exaggerating movements.
4. Be wary when the rain starts to come down. – Because of how the roads are, it’s most dangerous as soon as rain starts to fall. This is because when the rain starts to come down, the oils on the road are brought to the surface along with the water. Of course, your car is much more likely to lose traction when oil is involved too.
How to control your car in a hydroplane
Even if you follow the steps to prevent yourself from slipping, there is a chance that it may happen anyway. In a situation where your vehicle does lose traction to a puddle of water, know what to do so you can keep yourself on the road. As always: remember to keep as calm as you can.
1. Be careful on the brakes. – When you lose traction, braking hard is one of the worst things you can do. If you do need to break, do it softly and pump the brakes. Of course, if you have some kind of anti-lock braking system using the brake as usual shouldn’t be a problem.
2. Ease off the accelerator gently. – Another important thing to do, of course this is a hard one when your car’s sliding all over the place. Letting off the accelerator quickly can be more troublesome than you think. Your car may jerk, making you lose traction to a greater extent.
3. Countersteer… gently. – This is a very hard thing to do in a calm manner. Often when you hydroplane, your vehicle will try to veer to one side. Steering against this to try and keep straight is something you will want to do so you can stay on the road.
Maintenance
Some other things you can make sure that your car will perform its’ best against a hydroplane include:
1. Deep tire tread. – This is of course an important aspect for grip. Whether it’s water, mud or gravel, a deep trey tread will always make sure that you can get a good grip on your surface. Another important aspect of tires is their air. Make sure your tires are pumped up so that they can do their job.
2. Rotate your tires. – On the topic of your wheels and tires, a rotation will always make sure that your car is in shape to take on the wet roads nice and evenly.
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