Rain and wet roads pose serious hazards for your drivers. Chief among them is hydroplaning. These four tips will help drivers recover, when their vehicle loses traction.
Here are tips for drivers about avoiding and recovering from a hydroplaning scenario.
Screenshot: Kim Pham
2 min to read
An estimated one out of four roadway deaths and 445,000 injuries each year are the result of crashes in some type of inclement weather. Of those fatalities and injuries related to weather, 46% occurred during rainfall, and 73% occurred on wet roads.
What is Hydroplaning?
In short, rain and wet roads pose serious hazards for your drivers. Chief among them is hydroplaning. It occurs when a tire encounters more water than it can scatter. As speed increases, the tires start to ride up on the layer of water, much like waterskiing.
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Hydroplaning can happen when driving just 35 mph, and the chances increase when going 55 mph or more. When it occurs, the vehicle loses contact with the pavement and loses traction. This means the driver can't brake, accelerate or turn — posing a serious roadway situation.
Moreover, while hydroplaning can occur on any wet surface, surprisingly, the first 10 minutes of a light rain can be the most dangerous, say experts.
A downpour is not necessary. Rather, when light rain mixes with oil residue on the road surface, it creates slippery conditions that can lead to hydroplaning.
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