Statistics tells that 40 per cent of traffic accidents in summer occur in rainy weather. How can you avoid danger when driving over water film? Your tires can be helpful!
Road accidents happen due to hydroplaning; the situation when one or several wheels lose contact with the road surface because of water film that emerges between the tire and the road surface when you drive over paddles.
As a rule, your car is exposed to hydroplaning when you drive at a high speed during or right after rains when roads are covered with deep and wide paddles. As your car enters a water-covered surface at a high speed you can hear a typical splash sound, and feel as if something hits your wheels. After that the speed suffers significantly.
The start of hydroplaning depends on the amount of water your tire needs to remove from the contact patch. Hence, the higher your speed is, the more water should be removed to avoid hydroplaning. If the speed is above the critical mark and the tire can no longer cope with the water, your may even glide above the water and you may partly or entirely lose control of it. The combination of a deep paddle, a lightweight car, a wide tire, a shallow tread and ineffective work of drainage grooves reduce the speed level “necessary” for hydroplaning.
The shape and the area of a contact patch area alter during hydroplaning. It’s evident, that traction suffers as you speed up, which is especially dangerous when cornering. In case lateral force exceeds lateral traction as you corner your car goes into a sideslip.
All tires are subject to hydroplaning, but the thing is when it happens. If you know the reasons for it, you can take measures to avoid it. Furthermore, hydroplaning is dangerous now only when cornering but also during straight-line driving. Every time it prevents you from normal driving as you feel that your steering wheel is on the edge of skidding. The situation worsens and becomes unpredictable if your rear tires show poorer traction than front ones. In this case you rely only on your driving experience and skills.
Here is some advice that can help you avoid this situation:
1. Lower the speed BEFORE you enter a paddle.
2. Don’t push the brakes when your car drives over the paddle and tries to resist hydroplaning.
3. Try to control the situation with the help of a steering wheel without making abrupt turns. Take control, but don’t twist the wheel.
4. If you feel the skidding, stick to the rules of how to stabilize the car during it. (Depends on the type of a drive mechanism)
5. If you can’t afford fitting your car with good tires, try to mount better ones on a rear axle.
6. The tires with the tread depth of less than 4 mm are more exposed to hydroplaning than those with a deep tread picture.
7. Check air pressure on a regular basis. Over- as well as underinflated tire features insufficient hydroplaning resistance.
What makes the tire hydroplaning-resistant?
Firstly, it is an open tread design. It means that comparatively little rubber comes into a standing contact with the road and the tread is cut into numerous longitudinal and lateral grooves as well as curved grooves that remind of turbine baffles by their shape. Such grooves are able to evacuate great amount of water from under the contact patch, which will save you from hydroplaning. Such tires are opposed to sporty slick tires that feature minimal or no tread grooving at all. Slicks mustn’t be used in wet weather.
Secondly, it is directional tread pattern with drainage grooves arranged into a V-tread pattern. Directional tires must be mounted on the wheel with regard to the direction of their rotation so that the water is removed to the area behind the tire. Some tire-makers brand their tires with Aquatread, Rain Master and Hydragrip markings or provide them with special icons to indicate their ability to resist hydroplaning and perform well in rainy weather.
Except for the shape and tread pattern rain tires feature special elements in the structure of their rubber compound, with enhances wet traction as well as contributes to traction in the dry.
However, rain tires have to compromise on other features, just like any modern tires. You’ll always have to sacrifice something to get the best result another area. Excellent hydroplaning is achieved at the expense of poorer handling or lower wear resistance. Furthermore, rain tires usually make a lot of noise on the road. At the same time, technology allows making tire that would be equally excellent and safe in all respects. The question is how much such tires would cost and whether an average driver could afford it.
In conclusion it should be mentioned that even the best rain tires cannot deliver ultimate safety in wet weather. It is sensible driving that prevents your car from turning into an uncontrollable floating object.
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