What is aquaplaning and what can I do to avoid it?

It is commonly known as aquaplaning, although the word hydroplaning is also used to refer to the phenomenon in which the driver can lose control of the vehicle when the tyres cannot drain away the water they encounter on the road surface.

To go into more detail, aquaplaning occurs when water builds up in front of the tyres as they turn faster than they are able to disperse it. When this happens, a thin layer of water forms between the tyre and the road surface, causing a loss of grip.

And as you can imagine, without grip it is hard to brake or steer. This is precisely why aquaplaning is so dangerous.

It should also be said that most accidents in the rain are not caused by aquaplaning. The slippery film that forms on dry asphalt with the first drops of rain causes far more problems than aquaplaning, which is easy to avoid and control if you know how.

What factors contribute to aquaplaning?

If you have understood how this phenomenon occurs, you will quickly see that a primary factor, and perhaps the one with the greatest influence on aquaplaning, is speed. The faster you drive through a puddle, the less time the tyre has to channel water through the grooves and the tread pattern. But there are other factors.

The second is the tyre and its condition. As a tyre wears, the tread depth decreases, leaving less space to evacuate water. The tread design and dimensions also have an influence.

Some tyres are designed to offer the best possible performance on water, with special tread patterns. Wide tyres are also more prone to aquaplaning, as their contact area with the asphalt is larger. Needless to say, keeping tyres at the correct inflation pressure is key.

Finally, the type of vehicle also matters. A light car is more likely to aquaplane in a puddle of shallow depth than a heavier one. And for the same vehicle, the greater the depth of water, the greater the risk of aquaplaning.

How can I tell if I am aquaplaning while driving?

If you are driving in a straight line and pass over a body of water that causes aquaplaning, you will feel a jolt or a movement in the steering wheel. Additionally, you may notice the engine revs rise momentarily, as the wheels begin to spin.

If aquaplaning occurs in a bend, it is more dangerous, because if the front wheels lose grip, the car will tend to slide towards the outside of the bend. If the rear wheels lose grip, it may slide sideways and cause a spin. Grip may also be lost on all four wheels, causing the car to slide in a straight line; the problem arises when the tyres suddenly regain traction.

Here, unlike other driving situations, the vehicle’s stability control can do little to help us. This system only works properly when the tyres are in contact with the road.

How to react if aquaplaning occurs?

First of all, stay calm and hold the steering wheel firmly, keep it straight and try not to make corrections unless they are small and very gentle.

From here, what you should do is gradually lift your foot off the accelerator while keeping a firm grip on the steering wheel, and although it may seem strange, avoid braking unless there is a risk of an accident. Only in that case should you brake progressively; normally aquaplaning affects the front wheels, and the rear wheels will have some grip to help reduce speed.

The reason you should not brake if there is no risk of an accident or collision is that you need to keep the wheel speed matched so that it is appropriate once the vehicle regains contact with the water. For the same reason, it is not advisable to accelerate or release the accelerator suddenly.

Finally, remember that it is also not advisable to try to avoid a puddle by driving through it with only the two wheels on one side of the vehicle. It is better to drive through with all four wheels.

Tips to avoid aquaplaning

To avoid aquaplaning, you can keep the following tips in mind:

• Drive ahead of time and reduce your speed if you notice more water accumulating on the road.
• Try to drive in the tracks left on the road by the tyres of the vehicles ahead, as there will be less water to disperse in these areas.
• As a precaution, do not use cruise control when driving in the rain, since if you come across an unexpected puddle, the best option is to reduce speed manually and gradually.
• Keeping tyres in good condition, with sufficient tread and the correct pressure, will also help you avoid this unpleasant phenomenon. In dry weather you can run them down to the legal minimum tread depth of 1.6 mm, but in wet weather it is better not to push it that far and to replace them at around 2 mm.

Related information of interest

• What tyres you should fit on an electric car
• How to make your tyres last longer
• Danger! Nearly half of Spanish drivers pay no attention to the condition of their tyres