Hydroplaning occurs when there is standing water on a roadway. At speeds up to 35 mph, most tires will channel water away from the tire similar to the way a windshield wiper cleans the windshield. As your speed increases, tires cannot channel the water as well, and your tires may start to lose contact with the road and ride over the water like a set of water skis. In a standard passenger car, partial hydroplaning can begin at speeds as low as 35 mph.

At 55 mph, the tires may lose all contact with the road. If this occurs, there is no friction available to brake, accelerate, or steer. It is possible for the vehicle to go into an unpredictable and uncontrollable skid. If this occurs, take your foot off of the accelerator, letting the car slow down. To prevent hydroplaning, maintain good tires with adequate water-channeling thread on your vehicle. Most importantly, slow down when there is water on the roadway.