Aquaplaning is perhaps one thing you wont be wishing for this Christmas as millions of us hit the roads visiting friends and families. With many of us back to work today and making our long distance journeys this weekend and early next week it's important to understand a couple of the risks drivers...
Aquaplaning is perhaps one thing you won't be wishing for this Christmas as millions of us hit the roads visiting friends and families. With many of us back to work today and making our long distance journeys this weekend and early next week it's important to understand a couple of the risks drivers can face in less favourable weather. Weather forecasters have predicted another heavy weekend of torrential rain and strong winds so here at Tyres.Online we've put together a little guide about aquaplaning and how to keep safe during these conditions. 
What is Aquaplaning? In order for a vehicle to move forward, backwards, turn, stop, accelerate or perform pretty much any function, there needs to be a certain level of friction between the tyres on the vehicle and the road surface. This is the reason that tyres usually have deep grooves in them and tread patterns which are designed to dissipate water to ensure that their remains a constant level of friction or traction between the tyre and the road surface. The definition of Aquaplaning is when there is too much water for the tyre to successfully dissipate or move out of the way and the water builds up a sheet between the road surface and the tyre, removing the traction or grip which is required for the vehicle to function. What causes Aquaplaning? Generally vehicles are considered at risk of aquaplaning when travelling at speeds greater than 45mph and when the standing water depth (water on the road) is greater than a 10th of an inch. Of course this is not an exact science and it would be impossible to measure all water depths whilst driving so it's advisable to treat wet roads with care and to slow down at the first sight of any build of standing water. There are other factors which will also impact the risk of aquaplaning including the tread depth and design of a tyre, and also the condition of the road and level of drainage that has been built in to the road surface. How to prevent aquaplaning? Good tyres will go a long way when you find yourself in a possible aquaplaning situation, but new tyres or the right tyres are not the only way in which you can reduce the risk of losing control of your vehicle. Ensuring that your tyres are correctly inflated will go a long way to preventing issues and will also help to prevent a whole range of other problems including increased fuel consumption and better control of the vehicle. Checking your tyres tread depth regularly will also help and you can do this in a split second with the simple 20 pence piece trick demonstrated here. The more tread you have the greater chance your tyre has of dissipating the water and ensuring you remain in control. Avoid the outside or inside lanes in extreme conditions where water tends to build up first. Keeping an eye on other drivers ahead, maintaining a safe distance and following their tracks will also greatly increase your awareness of the road conditions and also minimise the risk of aquaplaning. What to do if you Aquaplane? As simple as it sounds and as difficult as it probably is, the first thing you should do is try not to panic. If you panic it's likely you will make sudden movements and overreact to the situation in an attempt to compensate for the general loss of control. This can cause even more issues because often one or more tyres will catch it's grip and you could end up in a spin or worse still end up rolling the vehicle if you are not following the direction of the road. Don't attempt to slam on the brakes for the same reason as above, slowly push down on the brakes whilst maintaining a firm grip on the wheel pointing the vehicle in the direction of the road. Finally be prepared to compensate for the vehicle when you regain control and allow for the sudden increase in traction. How can Tyres.Online help you to avoid aquaplaning? If you follow the advice above you will go a long way to minimsing the risk of aquaplaning, and should remain safe on the roads this holiday season. However, if you want to go a step further, Tyres.Online has a range of specially designed cold weather and all season tyres with increased tread depths and sipes designed to tackle even the harshest weather conditions. To check out the range of winter tyres or to find out more about winter tyres and how they can help keep you and your family safe check out our winter tyre guide. To see just what could happen if you don't respect mother nature, check out the video below:
What is Aquaplaning? In order for a vehicle to move forward, backwards, turn, stop, accelerate or perform pretty much any function, there needs to be a certain level of friction between the tyres on the vehicle and the road surface. This is the reason that tyres usually have deep grooves in them and tread patterns which are designed to dissipate water to ensure that their remains a constant level of friction or traction between the tyre and the road surface. The definition of Aquaplaning is when there is too much water for the tyre to successfully dissipate or move out of the way and the water builds up a sheet between the road surface and the tyre, removing the traction or grip which is required for the vehicle to function. What causes Aquaplaning? Generally vehicles are considered at risk of aquaplaning when travelling at speeds greater than 45mph and when the standing water depth (water on the road) is greater than a 10th of an inch. Of course this is not an exact science and it would be impossible to measure all water depths whilst driving so it's advisable to treat wet roads with care and to slow down at the first sight of any build of standing water. There are other factors which will also impact the risk of aquaplaning including the tread depth and design of a tyre, and also the condition of the road and level of drainage that has been built in to the road surface. How to prevent aquaplaning? Good tyres will go a long way when you find yourself in a possible aquaplaning situation, but new tyres or the right tyres are not the only way in which you can reduce the risk of losing control of your vehicle. Ensuring that your tyres are correctly inflated will go a long way to preventing issues and will also help to prevent a whole range of other problems including increased fuel consumption and better control of the vehicle. Checking your tyres tread depth regularly will also help and you can do this in a split second with the simple 20 pence piece trick demonstrated here. The more tread you have the greater chance your tyre has of dissipating the water and ensuring you remain in control. Avoid the outside or inside lanes in extreme conditions where water tends to build up first. Keeping an eye on other drivers ahead, maintaining a safe distance and following their tracks will also greatly increase your awareness of the road conditions and also minimise the risk of aquaplaning. What to do if you Aquaplane? As simple as it sounds and as difficult as it probably is, the first thing you should do is try not to panic. If you panic it's likely you will make sudden movements and overreact to the situation in an attempt to compensate for the general loss of control. This can cause even more issues because often one or more tyres will catch it's grip and you could end up in a spin or worse still end up rolling the vehicle if you are not following the direction of the road. Don't attempt to slam on the brakes for the same reason as above, slowly push down on the brakes whilst maintaining a firm grip on the wheel pointing the vehicle in the direction of the road. Finally be prepared to compensate for the vehicle when you regain control and allow for the sudden increase in traction. How can Tyres.Online help you to avoid aquaplaning? If you follow the advice above you will go a long way to minimsing the risk of aquaplaning, and should remain safe on the roads this holiday season. However, if you want to go a step further, Tyres.Online has a range of specially designed cold weather and all season tyres with increased tread depths and sipes designed to tackle even the harshest weather conditions. To check out the range of winter tyres or to find out more about winter tyres and how they can help keep you and your family safe check out our winter tyre guide. To see just what could happen if you don't respect mother nature, check out the video below: