How to Avoid Hydroplaning

Though it’s pretty easy to pull out of, hydroplaning is a scary thing to go through because it feels like a total loss of control over your car. Sometimes it’s inevitable, but there are ways to avoid hydroplaning that can keep you safer in wet weather.

Hydroplaning occurs on a wet surface when your tires leave the road and instead skim the surface of the water. This results in a loss of steering control and braking power. The best thing you can do to stop this separation from happening is to drive slowly and avoid puddles. The faster you go and the more water is around your tires, the harder it is for the tires to scatter the water and avoid sliding on top of it.

It also helps to keep your tires properly inflated and get them rotated frequently. Good tire maintenance and health means your tires have better traction, so you have less chance of losing contact with the road. You’re also more likely to hydroplane if you hit the brakes hard, so try to brake softly and take turns slowly.

If you do hydroplane, it’s easy to stop. If you have front wheel drive, you actually want to slowly speed up and pull into an open lane until you can feel yourself get control back. With rear-wheel drive, gradually slow down by taking your foot off the gas. Don’t brake in either of these situations! It will make you lose more control over the vehicle.