First-Person Video Shows Driver Lose Control in Rain on Dallas North Tollway
Here’s your reminder to slow down on wet roads.
If you’ve ever hydroplaned, you know just how frightening an experience it is. Yes, there are things you can do to help stop your vehicle from hydroplaning, but the fact of the matter is you’re not in control.
For those of you who have never hydroplaned, the below video shows just how quickly you can go from just cruising along to going into a full spin on a wet road. Lucky for the driver, there was no traffic near them when they went into the spin.
The driver was able to recover from the spin after doing a full 360 on the tollway.
I had always heard that a vehicle is more likely to hydroplane at speeds over 45 mph, so I decided to go to Google to see what the internet had to say about it. And it turns out that I had heard wrong.
The consensus is that those traveling at speeds over 35 mph are more susceptible to hydroplaning.
While you can hydroplane any time the roads are wet, the first 10 minutes of light rain can be the most dangerous. What happens is that the rain mixes with oil residue on the surface of the road, making it especially slippery.
In addition to slowing down when it’s raining, it’s also important to make sure to replace turns when the treads are worn and ensure that your tires are properly inflated. Find more tips to avoid hydroplaning at SafeMotorist.