Modern roads are designed to allow rainwater to quickly run off. Especially highways are slanted so the water can quickly run off towards the edges and plenty of drainage inlets swallow the water. However, in our tropical regions, the rainfall is sometimes extremely heavy with the water not running off fast enough.
Tyres provide the grip between the vehicle and the road’s surface. It is necessary
though to have grooves and channels in order to dissipate water when driving on wet roads. Two things impact the ability to dissipate water: speed and the depth of the grooves. Aquaplaning, also called Hydroplaning, occurs when water is not dissipated fast enough from under the tyres and a layer of water forms between the tyre and the road.
When this happens, contact to the road is lost and therefore the ability to steer the vehicle. It effectively swims on the layer of the water without the ability to direct the car. Braking is also impaired as, again, there is no contact between the tyre and the road. This can become a potentially dangerous situation if there are obstacles in front of the vehicle or if the driving direction needs to be changed. It is particularly dangerous when trying evasive manoeuvres as the car will not respond to harsh braking or steering.
To avoid aquaplaning, reducing speed is the best course of action. As a rule of thumb, speeds under 80 Km per hour are recommended. In addition, proper tyre inflation is helping to avoid aquaplaning. Most importantly though, is to have sufficient profile left on all tyres. Markers sitting inside the grooves indicate at what depth the tyre should be replaced as it will become unsafe to drive in rain.
Aquaplaning can also occur when driving over pools of standing water. Sometimes, such pools form on uneven roads. Though these puddles may not be very deep, the accumulated water will be enough to cause a vehicle to aquaplane if the speed is high enough. This is especially dangerous as the vehicle may only be aquaplaning on one side.
German Motors recommends checking tyres regularly for correct inflation and sufficient tread depth. This procedure only takes a moment while adding a layer of safety. Should the tread depth markers indicate that it is time to change the tyre, it is best to do so immediately.
