Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

Hydroplaning is a situation where the grip between the wheels of the vehicle and the road surface deteriorates as a result of the wheel running into water that collects in front of the wheel. This is due to the fact that the wheel, pushing the water in front of it, creates pressure, which, when a certain value is reached, forces the water to squeeze between the wheel and the road. ... This situation is very dangerous, but remember to keep calm while driving.

Steps

1. 1 Release the accelerator pedal slightly and steer to keep the vehicle on the road. Reduce your speed until the tires engage the road again.
2. 2 Perform all manipulations smoothly so as not to disrupt the car into a skid, very smoothly drive and press the gas / brake. If you need to stop and the car is not equipped with ABS, brake with smooth, jerky movements. Do not block the wheels - this will knock the car into a skid.
   • Avoid hard acceleration and deceleration. Avoid harsh taxiing as this can cause the car to skid.
   • If the car starts to skid, release the accelerator pedal smoothly. Do not panic! To catch a car, try to steer so that the front of your car moves in the right direction. If your car is not equipped with stabilization systems and ABS, do not brake during a skid, if these systems are present, feel free to press the brakes.
3. 3 Be especially careful on twisty roads, always turn smoothly and try not to accelerate too much.
4. 4 Try to follow the rut left by the vehicle in front. This will reduce the chance that water collected in front of the wheels will lift the vehicle and you will lose control.
5. 5 Learn how a car behaves when hydroplaning in different conditions and how to deal with hydroplaning when different wheels lose contact.
   • If the car was driving straight, you will feel a loss of acceleration and a change in direction. Steer more confidently and steer the vehicle straight.
   • If the drive wheels have lost traction, you will notice an increase in engine speed, a change in the speedometer readings upwards and you will hear the roar of the engine. In this case, slightly release the accelerator pedal to slow down and steer straight.
   • If hydroplaning happens in a bend, your vehicle will drift to the outside of the bend. Slow down and pull into the road.
   • If the rear wheels lose traction, the rear of the vehicle will skid.Turn the handlebars toward a skid until the rear wheels are in contact with the ground. Then, quickly align the wheels.
   • If all wheels are in hydroplaning, the machine will move forward like a sled. The most important thing in this situation is to stay calm. Slow down by releasing the accelerator pedal and steer to keep the vehicle on the road. When the wheels are in contact with the road again, you can continue driving normally.
6. 6 To avoid hydroplaning, do not ride heavily worn tires and maintain normal tire pressure. Reduce driving speed in bad weather conditions.
   • Worn tires are more prone to hydroplaning as they have a lower tread height. Tires with worn out tread will start hydroplaning 5-10 km / h earlier.
   • Wheels with low pressure will be punctured more easily, so the water can squeeze more easily under them.
   • The greatest risk of hydroplaning is with wide, small-diameter wheels.
   • The longer and narrower the contact patch at the wheel, the greater the chance of avoiding hydroplaning. The greater weight of the car reduces the risk of hydroplaning if the wheels are well inflated, if the wheels are not inflated - the situation is the opposite.

Tips

• The best way to avoid hydroplaning is to never ride on worn tires or go fast in bad weather. As a rule of thumb, always reduce your speed by one third in bad weather conditions.
• The tread on the tire should push the water out and out of the contact patch, but sometimes the water is thicker than the tread height. Decreasing the speed will help reduce the water layer under the wheel and restore contact with the road.
• Airplane tires are also susceptible to hydroplaning. [1] The steps to take in this situation are different from those described in this article. This article assumes you are driving.

Warnings

• Do not use cruise control in heavy rain. The computer can recognize hydroplaning as a decrease in speed and add power and this will lead to problems.
• When hydroplaning, do not give in to the first impulse to brake sharply! Sudden braking can cause skidding and further loss of control.
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and ABS are not a substitute for careful driving and good tire maintenance. ESC is an upgraded braking system that will help reduce speed and regain control when the wheels are in contact with the ground, but no system can prevent hydroplaning.