Whenever we start our cars and take them out on the road, we tend to feel like we have total control over our situation while driving. For the most part, that's true. Unfortunately, several dangers can take that control away from us. Besides other drivers, situations like hydroplaning can also put us in trouble, even though we've done nothing wrong to deserve it.
When your car starts hydroplaning, take a deep breath and try to remain calm. Take your foot off the gas and reduce your speed while applying the brakes gently. Always keep your eyes fixed on your target direction; doing so coordinates your actions to get your car back on track. Lastly, pull over safely to the side of the road.
Hydroplaning is something that you may have learned from the driving school before you got your driver’s licence. The odds are that you have not heard about it again until now or, worse, until you found your car hydroplaning on the road. I hope it’s not the latter. Before that happens, I think you’ll want to read this refresher of sorts, with a brief explanation of what hydroplaning is, why it happens, and what you can do when it happens.
What Is Hydroplaning?
As you already know, your four tyres are the only car parts that come into contact with the ground. The ability of those tyres to grip the road (aka their traction) is critical not only so your car can perform well but also to keep it safe while you drive.
Hydroplaning is what happens when there's too much water between your tyres and the ground. When that happens, your tyres will lose traction because they're no longer in contact with the ground.
Factors that Contribute to Hydroplaning
Various factors that increase the risk of hydroplaning, including:
- Your car’s speed: The faster your wheels turn when there’s water on the ground, the less traction they will have.
- Your tyres’ tread depth: Your tyre treads are so critical for this very reason. If your tyres are worn out or bald (i.e. the treads are far too shallow), they will offer minimal traction and increase the risk of hydroplaning.
- The volume of water on the road: Water depth is also a crucial factor here. The deeper that water is when you drive through it, the more likely you will experience hydroplaning.
What makes hydroplaning truly dangerous is when it happens while you’re driving at high speeds. Suddenly losing traction could send your car skidding and potentially hitting other vehicles or even the side of the road.
Worse yet, it doesn’t take four tyres to make this happen. Hydroplaning can be isolated to just one or two tyres and cause the same outcomes.
Signs of Hydroplaning
To react in time, you must first recognise the signs of hydroplaning. You’ll know that your car is hydroplaning when:
- The car feels like it’s suddenly floating.
- The car is veering in a different direction even though you’re still steering it straight.
- Braking and steering both feel as if they’re doing nothing.
These things will happen in just a split second, forcing you to react. I know this is easier said than done, but the fact of the matter is that you must avoid panicking to respond correctly.
One way to do this is to breathe deeply and accept that it’s happening before taking the necessary hydroplaning recovery steps.
Why Does My Car Hydroplane So Easily?
Suppose you drive a car that hydroplanes easily. The two most common reasons for this are your driving behaviour and the car's condition. Hydroplaning happens more often when:
- You don’t slow down even when the road is wet or it’s raining.
- You use cruise control even when it’s raining. The problem with conventional cruise control is that it’ll maintain acceleration even though the tyres have lost traction. That can make hydroplaning worse.
- Your tyres are in bad condition. Their treads could be shallow, or they could be to the point where they’re entirely bald.
What Should I Do When My Car Begins to Hydroplane Again?
Hydroplaning recovery is not as complicated as it might sound. There are a few straightforward steps that you can take to get your car back on track and continue driving safely.
Steps to Take When Your Car Starts to Hydroplane
Here’s what you should do once you recognise the signs of hydroplaning in your car:
1. Remain Calm when you notice you’re hydroplaning
Staying calm isn't easy, but it's necessary. Take a deep breath and tell yourself, "This is happening." Why? Because when something like this happens, our brains are usually flooded with all sorts of questions like, "Is my car really hydroplaning?” or “Am I imagining this?"
The sooner you accept that it's happening, the sooner your instincts can kick in and get you back to safety.
2. Reduce speed to regain traction
As soon as you’ve done that, you must reduce your speed. Doing this will give your tyres a fighting chance at regaining the traction they’ve lost, which got you in this position in the first place.
To do this, gently let go of your accelerator. That alone will help you significantly.
3. Gently pump the brakes
Next, this is crucial, DO NOT SLAM on your brakes. Instead, gently pump them little by little. The idea here is that with each pump, you’ll lower your speed gradually.
Applying brakes this way also prevents your tyres from locking up, which happens when you slam on your brakes.
Note: If your car has an anti-lock braking system (ABS), you can brake normally. The system will gently pump on the brakes automatically.
4. Eyes forward - Direct your eyes to the direction you want your car to go
Here's the thing about our minds while we drive: your car will go wherever you look. That's because your mind will coordinate your hands and feet to manoeuvre the vehicle to go in whatever direction your eyes are looking.
That’s a trick used by racecar drivers skidding on the track, and it can be very helpful if you’re hydroplaning as well.
5. Pull over to safety
Once you’ve reduced your speed and gotten your car moving in the correct direction, pull over safely and bring your car to a complete halt. Engage the emergency brake and your hazard lights, and take some time to regain your bearings.
No doubt, that experience was probably an intense one for you. Take some time to calm down entirely before resuming your drive.
Drive Safely; Learn Tips from CarPartAU!
To learn more about hydroplaning recovery and other critical defensive driving skills, check out the blog at Carpart.com.au. There, you’ll discover plenty of valuable tips to keep yourself driving safely on the road in Australia and beyond!
By Ray Hasbollah