Why Aquaplaning happens
You may have heard of aquaplaning but what exactly is it and how does it happen?
It’s when a layer of water builds up between the rubber of your vehicles tyres and the surface of the road leading to a traction loss, therefore stopping the vehicle from being able to respond in certain ways such as steering, accelerating and braking. If all four wheels experience this water build up, the vehicle in turn becomes an out of control sledge!
Your vehicle is dependent upon friction between the road surface and the tyres when speeding up, slowing down or changing direction. This friction can be significantly reduced should water come between the tyres and the road. Slippage can then occur and the driver can lose control. The rubber of your tyres features grooves which have been purposely designed to dispel water from underneath the tyre, they assist in providing the highest possible friction, even in wet driving conditions. However when your tyres meet more water than it can disperse then aquaplaning occurs. A wedge of water is created under the front edge of the tyre, due to the amount of water pressure, forcing the wheel to lift up from the road. This causes the tyres to literally glide on a sheet of water with barely any amount of road contact in some cases none at all.
The vehicle is most likely to lose directional control if more than one tyre aquaplanes and will continue to do so until the vehicle is slow enough for one or more tyres to maintain road contact for friction to help sustain control. If this does not happen the vehicle will carry on sliding until it hits something and is brought to a halt.
The chances of aquaplaning increase depending on the depth of the water and how your individual vehicle and you the driver reacts to it. The overall condition of the road you are driving on, its curvature, cross slope and grade and what it is made of are risk factors as is the duration and intensity of the rainfall itself. Your reactions as a driver and your tyres’ condition also play a big part. Worn tyres lack sufficient tread depth, while under inflated tyres can prevent them from being able to clear the water.
Reducing your speed and ensuring your tyres are are not worn and have the right amount of tread and pressure are key factors in helping to avoid an aquaplaning situation. Here at Grippy we offer cheap tyres online and a tyre fitting service to suit all your requirements.