With this little spell of ‘Summer Rain’ we thought we’d put together a piece with some tips on how to prevent your car from aquaplaning and how to recover if it does happen. Losing control of a vehicle on the road can be a terrifying experience for any driver. Aquaplaning will strip a driver’s ability to steer whilst also causing a feeling of helplessness! Aquaplaning happens when a vehicles tyres begin to ride on top of standing water instead of the surface of the road. Aquaplaning can occur even when the roads are only slightly damp. Whether you are driving in torrential rain or on roads that are still just a little damp from a shower that passed through hours ago, Aquaplaning is a very real possibility and something that every driver should try to avoid at all costs.   There are a number of things to bear in mind whilst driving in wet conditions that can lower the chances of losing control of a vehicle.   Prevention of Aquaplaning;

1. Reduce Speed. Aquaplaning is most likely to occur at speeds greater than fifty-five kilometres per hour. You should reduce your speed considerably as soon as those first rain drops hit the windscreen. Any sudden increases in speed, such as those required to overtake, put you at a greater danger of Aquaplaning. Avoid any sudden acceleration at all costs in these conditions.
2. Properly and Regularly Rotate and Balance your Tyres. Keeping your tyres in tune will also help prevent your car from Aquaplaning on wet roads. It is advisable to have your vehicle’s tyres checked, rotated and balanced regularly. Something that any of the Tyreland depots would be happy to help you with.
3. No Cruising in the Rain. If your vehicle has a cruise control function avoid using it in wet or damp conditions. If you were to begin Aquaplaning while driving with the cruise control on, it will take additional time for you to disable the function before beginning to regain control of your vehicle.
4. Avoid Driving into Puddles & Standing Water. Try and avoid any place on the road that you can see has collected water. It only takes a small amount of water to begin to Aquaplane. If you can actually see standing water, it is highly probable that your vehicle will Aquaplane as it drives through/over it.

Sometimes Aquaplaning occurs no matter what precautions the driver has taken. If your vehicle begins Aquaplaning, there are a number of steps to take to regain control:   Recovering from Aquaplaning

1. Immediately take your foot off of the accelerator. Never use your brakes in response to Aquaplaning. Sudden braking on a wet road can cause your car to skid completely out of control.
2. Although it may seem contradictory, gently turn your steering wheel in the direction your car is Aquaplaning. This will help your tyres realign with the direction your vehicle is travelling and assist you in regaining steering control.
3. Wait to feel the tyres reconnect with the surface of the road. It will be obvious to the driver when the vehicle has driven out of the Aquaplaning situation.

After successfully recovering from Aquaplaning on a wet road, it would be advisable to pull in and take a minute to compose yourself.   Sooner or Later you’ll use Tyreland! Tyreland have 6 Tyre Depots located around Dublin City and Meath and offer the most competitive deals on cheap tyres in Dublin. Our industry experts are always available for advice and love to help people out. Contact us today.