If you have ever watched a driver in front of your slip and slide while trying to operate the vehicle in heavy rainfall, you have probably done all you could to prevent hydroplaning yourself. Hydroplaning happens when too much water accumulates in front of your vehicle’s tires quicker than your car can push the water away.
The pressure from the extra water can lift your vehicle off the road and cause it to slide along the water. When this happens, you’re essentially water skiing while driving, which could be very dangerous.
More About Hydroplaning
If you are driving on a slippery road, you should drive slower, especially if you are in a large vehicle or semi-truck. It will take longer for you to slow down if the road is wet, and if you’re driving too fast, you could hydroplane, which makes the road more dangerous for you and all surrounding drivers.
If you cannot avoid hydroplaning, you can regain control of your vehicle if you are paying attention. You can get your vehicle back on track by taking your foot off the gas and pushing the clutch pedal. This will slow the vehicle down and allow you to turn the wheels without resistance.
Make sure that the tires are in great condition to avoid hydroplaning. If the tire pressure is low or the treads of the tires are worn, you are more likely to hydroplane.
The composition of the water can also change the way it reacts with your tires. If there is oil, salts, or dirt in the water, you may be more likely to hydroplane.
Remember that while hydroplaning can occur no matter how fast you are going, it is important to drive slower than 40 mph when the roads are wet.
If you are a professional truck driver and you don’t keep the tires of the truck in good condition, you could be responsible for injuries if your vehicle hydroplanes and hits another automobile or a pedestrian.
How to Stop Safely
To avoid hydroplaning, you should maintain a reasonable distance from the vehicles in front of you. This is especially important if you drive a truck that hauls heavy loads. Remember that the faster you are driving, the less time you’ll have to slow down and prevent an accident.
Speeding also slows your reaction time. This means that even if you notice that you are about to get into an accident, you may not be able to brake in time to it from happening.
The weight of a truck can also affect the time it takes for the vehicle to come to a complete halt. Since a semi-truck is a heavier vehicle, the brakes have to work hard to stop it. This is why there are government regulations on truckload, since additional weight can determine how safe a truck is when it’s on the road in bad weather. That is why truck drivers must visit weigh stations on their assigned routes to make sure the load they are carrying is within government-mandated limits.
An empty truck can also be a safety hazard. The braking system on semi-trucks is designed to operate when the truck has a full load. When the truck doesn’t have any cargo, it doesn’t have as much traction, which means the truck needs more stopping distance. When the road is wet, the traction of the truck is significantly reduced, and you will have to travel at lower speeds to safely stop.
Final Thoughts
If your truck hydroplaned and caused a wreck, you should get in touch with a trucking accident lawyer as soon as possible. An attorney with decent experience in truck accidents can defend you if you’re a trucker or help you get the compensation you deserve if you are a victim in one such devastating accident.
By Kerry L. Tucker
Early in his journalism career, Kerry L. Tucker had a revelation: there were not enough experts reporting on law issues. Legal matters are part of daily life. Yet, there seems to be a general aversion towards them. One of the main reasons for this is that the convoluted legal language is difficult for many people to follow. Therefore, he decided to change how the law is perceived by the public. Throughout his career, he met with many people who shared their personal stories with him. Some of these hit him harder. One of the cases that stayed with him and influenced his future career development was a car accident case involving a child. From then on, he decided to zero in on car accident lawsuits.
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