Aquaplaning and how to avoid it

Author: ambercruz123 | Posted: 04.04.2012

Sometimes you come across a weird looking word aquaplaning - or hydroplaning as it’s called usually in America. What it means is that aquaplaning occurs in the tyres of a road vehicle or an aircraft when a layer of water builds between the rubber tyres of the vehicle and the road surface, leading to the loss of traction and thus preventing the vehicle from responding to control inputs such as steering, braking or accelerating.

Every vehicle relies on the friction between the tyres and the road surface. If water comes between the tyres and the road, friction may be reduced to the extent that the tyres may slip, and the driver may lose control.

Aquaplaning should be taken seriously as it can cause a dangerous situation when driving especially with higher speeds. The danger is even more imminent if the tyres are in poor condition or worn out.

The grooves of a rubber tyre are designed to disperse water from beneath the tyre, providing high friction even in wet conditions. Aquaplaning occurs when a tyre encounters more water than it can dissipate.

So from the traffic safety viewpoint it’s essential to have tyres with the proper groove depth and other design features that fit the weather conditions. When there is plenty of water on the road and the driving speed exceeds a certain limit, the tread pattern of the tyre no longer pushes aside the water from underneath the tyre. The feel between the tyre and the road will be lost, and so will the grip.

Also when tyres wear out, the contact area between the road and tyre gets smaller. This means more chances for the water to go under the tyre and creating an aquaplaning situation where the driver is in danger of losing control of the car. So one of the best ways to avoid it is to check the tyre pressure as well as the groove depth and get new ones, preferably ones that have been engineered for guiding the water away from the middle of the tyre in wet conditions.

Nokian Tyres is the leader in the world for testing aquaplaning and slush planning and has years of experience in designing the Hakkapeliitta tyres which help the driver in preventing such situations from occurring.

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