Want more safety tips? Read PS Energy’s new eBook: A Fleet Manager's Guide to Emergency Prep to learn more about how to improve the safety and efficiency of your fleet operations so you can be prepared for anything.
It’s summertime and while the livin’ may be easy, as for the driving, well, that can be another story entirely. In fact, summertime driving can be downright dangerous.
For starters, with Americans packing up the car and traveling to summer vacation destinations, there’s more traffic than usual on the roadways. More traffic means more congestion and a greater chance of accidents.
And then there’s the weather.
Summer brings an abundance of steamy, sticky days and unsettled weather patterns that can ramp up the potential for torrential afternoon
thunderstorms that strike with little warning, limit visibility, and boost the chances of one of the most common causes of traffic accidents: hydroplaning.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, most weather-related accidents occur on wet pavement (76%) and during rainfall (46%). With the numerous summer afternoon downpours and the potentially hazardous puddles they create on the roadways, you can bet that a major contributor to those numbers is hydroplaning.
So, what exactly is hydroplaning, how can you avoid it, and how can you best respond to it? Follow along: we’ve got you covered.
Hydroplaning: When the Rubber Doesn’t Meet the Road
Hydroplaning occurs when there’s too much water on the road for tires to disperse. Water pressure in the front of the wheel pushes water under the tire, which causes the tire to separate from the road by a thin layer of water. The result is loss of traction, and with it, the loss of steering, braking and power control -- a scary and potentially dangerous situation for even the most experienced drivers.
Hydroplaning can happen whenever water is present on the road; and it doesn’t require a deep puddle or traveling at high speeds to occur. In fact, hydroplaning can occur in as little as one-eighth of an inch of water and in speeds as low as 30 mph but is most dangerous when traveling over 35 mph and on congested roadways, where every car within range is a potential target.
Top Tips to Prevent and Recover From Hydroplaning
When drivers realize they’re hydroplaning, a feeling of helplessness and panic usually takes over, and the first reaction is most typically overcorrecting, which is especially dangerous since it can send the vehicle veering out of control.
To prevent this situation, when traveling on wet roads or in rainy conditions, keep the following tips in mind for more peace of mind and to help lessen your chances of hydroplaning:
No matter how careful and prepared the driver, sometimes hydroplaning just can’t be avoided. Should hydroplaning occur, these tips will help you gain control over the vehicle:
Hydroplaning can occur in an instant and can be terrifying, despite the level of driver skill and experience. If you are involved in a hydroplaning event, once you have gained control of the vehicle, pull over in a safe spot, take a deep breath and try to relax. The most important thing is your health and safety and getting to your destination without incident.
Want more safety tips? Read PS Energy’s new eBook: A Fleet Manager's Guide to Emergency Prep to learn more about how to improve the safety and efficiency of your fleet operations so you can be prepared for anything.