Driving on wet roads always increases your risks of an accident. Even if you have great tires, the presence of water on the road is going to reduce friction. This can make it easier to lose control and harder to stop the car.
One of the biggest risks, though, is hydroplaning. This happens when the roads are more than just wet, but are actually covered in at least some amount of standing water. What is hydroplaning and how can it impact your car?
Losing contact with the road
Generally, on wet roads, your tire tread works to cut through the water and separate it. This keeps the actual rubber of the tires in contact with the pavement. It may be wet, but you’re still touching the road.
When you hydroplane, there is too much water. The tires can no longer cut through it fast enough. With nowhere else to go, some of that water ends up between the tires and the road.
It does not have to be much. Just rising a fraction of a centimeter off of the road means your car is no longer touching the pavement. You can’t brake or steer. Your car may start to spin and twist like it’s on a sheet of ice.
You can avoid hydroplaning by reducing your speed and avoiding overly wet roads. Even if you do, though, other drivers may not. People often underestimate the dangers. If you are struck and injured by an out-of-control driver on a slick road, an experienced attorney can help you seek compensation for your medical bills and other expenses.
