Prevent hydroplaning by ensuring your vehicle’s tires have the proper tread depth.

What to Do If Your Car Hydroplanes

The winter snow may have melted away, but that doesn’t mean the roads are clear of slippery, slick danger. As gentle as it can be, rain can cause many safety concerns for highway motorists, often in the form of hydroplaning — where your vehicle’s tires lose traction on a rainy roadway surface and skid across a thin layer of water instead. Knowing what to do if your car hydroplanes can help keep you safe and prepared for future rainy days.

Your vehicle may already have hydroplaning protection built into it without you even knowing. This prevention comes from the grooves on your tires’ treads, which act as channels to direct the water away from the tire. Doing this helps your vehicle remain firmly contacted with the road surface.

Prevention is the best action to take when it come to hydroplaning. Ensuring that your tires have the appropriated tread depth or are replaced with new ones when they get too old can help keep you safe on a wet roadway. If you have concerns about your tires or are ready to get brand new ones, feel free to schedule an appointment with our service department.

Another way to prevent hydroplaning is drive slower in wet weather and gently apply the brakes when you need to stop. Avoid any excessive buildup of water that accumulates on the road. Even with all these prevention tips, however, you may find yourself in need of knowing what to do if your car hydroplanes.

Should you ever find yourself in this situation, it is important to not panic or make any sudden movements. Try to refrain from jerking the steering wheel or slamming on the brakes.

If you feel your vehicle lost traction and think it is hydroplaning, ease your foot off the gas pedal. This will allows you to gradually diminish your speed. Once you begin to feel the road again, turn toward the direction that you want to go and begin gently applying the brakes.

We hope you never have to apply these tips on what to do if your car hydroplanes, and that is why we encourage you to ensure your vehicle’s tires have proper tread depth to help prevent this occurrence in the future. Remember to drive safely and slow down in wet conditions. If you have any questions, you can always contact us at Mazda of Lodi.