Aquaplaning
is a simple phenomenon most of us must have experienced sometime or the
other.
It occurs when a tyre's tread pattern is unable to disperse sufficient
water from the road surface. Levels of traction (and therefore control)
decrease as the size of the contact patch decreases. Aquaplaning causes
the tyre(s) to lose contact with the road, making the vehicle uncontrollable.
To avoid this:
- Do not
drive through standing water.
- Reduce
speed in water-logged areas.
- Make sure
the tread depth on the tyre is adequate. Less depth means less ability
to flush out water, hence more chances of aquaplaning.
- Maintain
tyre pressures to those recommended by the car manufacturer. Correct
inflation pressure is necessary for a proper contact patch on the road
surface as a tyre, even with an effective tread pattern in terms of
water dispersal, may allow a large area of water to persist in the central
part of the contact area when running at 60kph in 1mm depth of water.
Braking efficiency also reduces as at 60kph a tyre with adequate tread
depth stops at 17 to 23 meters but braking distances will increase as
the intensity of rain increases or vehicle speed increases.
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