With a fairly large hurricane barrelling towards the Northeast, it’s pretty clear that many will be evacuating the coasts, and others might also try to get to a shelter as well. While this is all a good idea, getting there is going to be tough, and if you’re one of the unfortunate number of people to get caught in either the storm itself, or in any storm in general, you might end up dealing with one of the most dangerous wet weather instances.   I’m talking about hydroplaning–many have heard of it, but few know what to do or how to spot it.

Hydroplaning has a dramatic effect on your control over a car.  Normally, the tires will stick to the road in wet weather, and water trapped under the tires can escape through the treads.  If the standing water on the ground doesn’t actually escape, and simply sits between the tire and the road, grip decreases substantially.  The faster you’re moving, the more likely you’ll find yourself hydroplaning at a given moment.

The first sign of hydroplaning is literally no control over a moving car.  If you turn the wheel, and nothing happens on wet pavement at speed, or touch the brake lightly without effect, you may be hydroplaning.  The first thing to do (and I cannot stress this enough) is not to panic.  Once you lose it, the likelihood of doing something sudden is higher–and when you’re riding on the water, any (even minor) sudden movement can be catastrophic.  Don’t slam on the brakes or jerk at the wheel. Your first reaction should be to stay calm and slowly take your foot off the gas pedal.  Once the car hits the pavement again, there may be a jerk at the wheel if the wheels were turned for a corner–just don’t make sudden movements.  If your rear tires hit the water and the fronts don’t (causing hydroplaning on the rear axle), steer in the direction of the skid until you get traction, and then rapidly countersteer to straighten out.

Avoiding this sort of danger is a bit simpler than it sounds.  Don’t drive too fast near standing water, and keep the tire pressures at proper levels.  Worn-out tires, thanks to shallower treads, are far more likely to hydroplane at a given speed than a brand-new set of tires.  If you’re on worn-out tires, don’t drive as fast as other folks on the highway.  With Hurricane Irene barreling towards the East Coast, there will be a lot of drivers out there attempting to evacuate–so try to get out there before the rain hits, and please drive safely.

-Al