What Is Hydroplaning?

Everyone knows to drive slowly on ice to avoid skidding. But driving through water can be just as hazardous, and if you are not careful, can cause a car to slide off the road.

What Is Hydroplaning?

You’ve probably heard the term before, but what exactly does it mean?

Hydroplaning occurs when a thin layer of water comes between the tires and the road. Suddenly the tires have no traction, the driver has no control of the car and is in danger of sliding off the road or into oncoming traffic. All this happens in a matter of seconds.

Cars are at greatest risk for hydroplaning during the first 10 minutes of a downpour because tires can’t quickly displace enough water from their treads. Drivers traveling 40 mph or more through water more than one-tenth of an inch deep have a higher chance of hydroplaning.

What to Do When Hydroplaning

If your car starts to hydroplane, release the accelerator slowly, said AAA’s Car Doctor John Paul. Quick deceleration or sudden steering maneuvers can put the car into a skid. Hold the steering wheel firmly and keep the front of the car pointed straight ahead. Steer gently to keep the car going forward and take your foot off the gas pedal so the car slows down on its own.

How to Avoid Hydroplaning

To prevent your car from hydroplaning, Paul said:

Watch the roadway; look for pooling water and big puddles. Monitor your car’s speed. “The faster your car is traveling, the more likely you are to hydroplane.”
Leave extra following distance between you and the traffic ahead. This will give you more time to react.
Ensure your tires are fully inflated and have adequate tread. AAA recommends replacing tires when the tread gets down to 4/32nds inches of tread (2/32^nd inches is the minimum legal tread depth in most states).

A legal tire with 3/32^nd inches of tread can take up to 225 feet to stop from 60 mph, while a tire with 5/32^nd inches of tread will take 195 feet. “That 30-foot difference can be the difference between a crash and one that didn’t happen,” Paul said.

Has your car ever hydroplaned? What helped you recover? Tell us in the comments.