- Aquaplaning is the name given to the occasion where you are driving in wet conditions and your vehicles wheels lose traction.
- It can be difficult to tell when you are aquaplaning, but it often feels as though the steering is non-responsive and the back end is weaving/wobbling.
- It occurs as a combination of speed, tyre pressure, tyre condition and depth of water.
- Avoid aquaplaning by reducing your speed to under 50 mph. Over this speed and you significantly increase your chances of aquaplaning.
- Stay in the tracks of the vehicle in front of you, but stay back by at least 3 seconds.
- Try and stay in the middle lanes, as water will tend to gather in the outside lanes first.
- If you do aquaplane:
- Depress the clutch
- Put you hazard lights on
- Grip the wheel firmly and steer where you want to go (steer into the skid)
- Avoid braking/accelerating
- Check the rear view mirror for other vehicles getting too close etc.
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
my sister and her boyfriend aquaplaned today on fairwood common. car is a write off hit bank and ddid 3 rolly lucky no one was killed. it was a mark 5 fiesta
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8365049.stm
caused by aquaplaning
I aquaplaned………. clearly not my fault though…… should i lose no claims bonus???
Hi Louise,
It will of course depend on your policy – however, aquaplaning may well be seen as driver error by the insurer because it can, in many cases, be avoided. If unsure or unhappy with the result from your insurance company, you may be best taking your case to a suitable legal expert.
Thanks for your comment.
I really couldnt have avoided aquaplaning.
Hi Louise,
If you haven’t already done so, you might be best checking with a legal expert before putting in your insurance claim. Anyway, I do hope that both you and your car are ok!
Hi Louise,
I’m sorry to hear about your car. I assume if the car has been written off then it is already in the hands of your insurer? You could always consult with the Motor Insurance Bureau (http://www.mib.org.uk/Home/en/default.htm) or speak to the CAB if you feel you have been unfairly treated.
We are situated on a main dual carriage way and when it rains you can see the water standing on the road. It causes no end of cars to aquaplane.
A good quality tyre with plenty of side exit treads will disperse more water and allow the rubber to meet the Tarmac.
i had new tyres…… was about 2 weeks old. They was very good quality tyres.
2 months after my accident there was another accident in the same spot. Unsure if anyone got out alive…..
My car aquaplaned in August 2010 when I had to turn to the left and instead it drove across colliding with a car driving on the opposite lane. I lost total control of the car. Luckily no one was injured but my car was written off. I had a compresive insurance which I believe sorted the the other car. Police came to the scene asked me to give statement on the account of events. To my dismay I later received summons being charged for driving with undue care and attention. My question is who is taking me to court?
I will not wish this to happen to anyone even today I am living the nightmare of that day.
Bonnie,
If you have received a summons for ‘driving with undue care and attention’ this will be either from the police, the CPS or local magistrates court. It is possible that you are being taken to court for that ‘offence’. I hope all goes ok for you.
If you have good tyres, correct tyre pressure can your car still aquaplane?
Hi Mary,
Even with good tyres and correct tyre pressure, a car can aquaplane. This is possible if the volume of water overwhelms the ability of the tyre to channel water correctly in order to provide grip.
Since my car accident noted above…… they have put a drain in that part of the motorway. So i could of taken them to court over losing my no points etc. x
No doubt a high speed in wet condition can cause aquaplaning, so y do we drive speed blindness in a such places? do we 4goten our safety n hw hard we got this driving licence? thanx.
nice article, does that mean hidroplanning would not happen if driving at low speed when it rains?
i aquaplaned a couple of days ago, was going round a very tight corner in heavy rain. i was only doing 10 miles an hour but still managed to come off the road and hit a sign.