Stay Safe In Rain – Avoid Hydroplaning!

With spring here, we’re in for increased rainfall and therefore wet roads. This means that you’re at a much higher risk of hydroplaning on the road – a dangerous thing that can lead to a crash. This week’s blog, we’ll be talking about what you should do when you’re driving on a wet road, and what to do if you start to hydroplane. Stay safe!

The first thing to remember is not to panic. Don’t slam on the brakes or the gas. Hydroplaning is when your front tires lose traction. Braking slows down your front tires, but locks the rear ones and makes you spin out. And because hydroplaning can spin your vehicle a little, accelerating can mean trouble because you really don’t have control of which direction your vehicle is going to go.

What you should do is look for an open spot (ideally right in front of you, if you’re on the road) and try to steer in that direction. Don’t oversteer! Just gently guide your vehicle in that direction without pushing on the brake or the gas.

To avoid hydroplaning, don’t use your cruise control in heavy rain. The water on the road and a loss of traction can trick your vehicle into thinking that it needs more power, and the cruise control will accelerate suddenly and can get you in trouble.

You can also avoid hydroplaning with some preventive measures! Make sure your tire tread is in good shape by doing the penny test (stick a penny into your tires’ tread with the top of Lincoln’s head facing the center of your tire – if you can see the top of his head, it’s time for new tires), and by driving carefully and slower than normal in the rain. A good rule of thumb is to go at 1/3 the speed you’d normally go.

Take care and good luck – rain is dangerous in its own way and we want to make sure you’re safe and sound in your Nissan!