Your motor insurance coverage may or may not cover hydroplane incidents, depending on your policy. If your car hydroplanes and causes an accident, collision coverage will cover the damage to your vehicle. Furthermore, if you strike someone else in a hydroplane car accident and are determined to be at fault following an investigation by your insurer, your liability coverage may cover the other party’s injuries and vehicle damage.
Does comprehensive insurance cover hydroplaning?
Hydroplaning, believe me, is a highly dangerous and frightening condition. When this happens, your automobile is literally off the road, with a layer of water between your tires and the ground. You can easily lose control of your car during this period, which is usually when it is raining outdoors. Maintaining your tires, driving slower, and avoiding large puddles are some methods for preventing your automobile from hydroplaning. Remove your foot from the gas and wait to steer through the skid if you hydroplane. You’ll be glad you have Massachusetts auto insurance to cover you if you can’t prevent hydroplaning.
Collision coverage on your Massachusetts auto insurance protects you in the event of a collision with another vehicle. This coverage may be useful if you collide with another vehicle or if you collide with another person, if you hydroplane, or in a variety of other situations. Your car insurance also includes comprehensive coverage. If your car is damaged, comprehensive coverage protects you from any damage that is not caused by a collision. Because these areas of coverage are crucial in a variety of situations, including hydroplaning, talk to an agent about whether to keep or add more to your policy.
Is hydroplaning considered an at fault accident?
In most hydroplaning accidents, the driver is not at fault. However, if he or she was driving carelessly and deliberately had low-tread or under-inflated tires, they may be held responsible.
Hydroplaning is frequently caused by road faults such as insufficient drainage and poor maintenance. In these situations, the motorist is not held liable for the collision.
While there are actions you may take to drive more cautiously in the rain, most hydroplaning occurs due to circumstances beyond your control. Unfortunately, even if all precautions are followed, hydroplaning is sometimes unavoidable.
What type of accident is hydroplaning?
Hydroplaning is a dangerous driving condition in which the tires of a vehicle lose traction and contact with the road surface. This is usually caused by a considerable amount of water getting between your tires and the road. Hydroplaning can also happen when it’s snowing.
When a car hydroplanes, the driver may experience a jolt and lose control of the vehicle. Depending on how much water is on the road and how worn the tires are on a car, this could last a short time or a long time. Because of the lack of control over a vehicle’s steering and speed, hydroplaning is a frightening and dangerous scenario to be in.
What do do if you hydroplane?
Hydroplaning may happen to anyone, no matter how careful they are behind the wheel. Let’s have a look at what you should do if this happens.
- Maintain a relaxed demeanor and take it slowly. Avoid the instinct to slam on the brakes. Instead, take a step back from the gas pedal.
- If you need to brake, use a little pumping motion on the pedal. You can brake normally if you have anti-lock brakes.
- Take a minute or two to calm yourself once you’ve regained control of your vehicle. Before continuing your vehicle, pull over to a secure spot and take a few deep breaths.
Can you get whiplash from hydroplaning?
Hydroplaning incidents can result in serious injuries. Whiplash is a common injury suffered by victims of hydroplaning accidents. Concussions.
At what speed will a car hydroplane?
Driving in inclement weather can be hazardous. Rain, sleet, snow, severe winds, and extreme temperatures can all have an impact on road conditions, visibility, and driving skills and performance. Weather is responsible for more than 20% of all crashes each year. However, it is not snow or icy conditions that cause the majority of collisions. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately half of all weather-related incidents occur when it is raining.
The first 10-15 minutes after rain starts can be the most dangerous, as water mixes with oils on the road, resulting in a slick surface. The more water on the road, the more likely your tires are to lose contact with it. Keep in mind, though, that hydroplaning does not only happen during floods. It is possible to hydroplane in as little as one-tenth of an inch of water, depending on your speed.
What is Hydroplaning?
Tires with good tread will “wipe” the water from the road surface at lower speeds, similar to how a windshield wiper cleans the windshield. The water cannot be cleared quickly enough as the speed increases, and the tires begin to ride up on the layer of water, similar to water skis.
Partial hydroplaning can occur at speeds as low as 35 miles per hour and escalate with speed until the tires lose all contact with the pavement around 55 miles per hour. You will lose traction and be unable to brake, accelerate, or turn if this occurs.
While wide tires are generally safer than narrow tires because they have more rubber to stay in contact with the road, hydroplaning can happen anywhere there is water.
How to Avoid Hydroplaning
- Because the car in front of you has already displaced water on the road, you should follow in its footsteps.
- Slow down if you hear the tires shushing, especially when changing directions.
- Step off the gas pedal gradually until your vehicle slows down and you can feel the road again.
- If your car has anti-lock brakes, brake normally; if necessary, the vehicle’s computer will simulate a pumping movement.
Can you sue for hydroplaning?
Summer thunderstorms may be perilous, and not simply because of the potential for lightning strikes. On Lake County roads, heavy rain can cause limited visibility, slick pavement, standing water, and/or driver weariness. Storms, predictably, result in an increase in the incidence of traffic accidents. According to the US Department of Transportation, wet pavement is to blame for one out of every seven car accidents and injuries.
Who Is At-Fault in a Weather-Related Accident?
To recover compensation for injuries received in an automobile accident, you must first discover who was at responsibility and demonstrate that their negligence caused the accident.
For example, if you rear-end the car in front of you on the road on a clear-weather day while looking at your phone or getting fatigued and not paying enough attention to the surrounding traffic, you will almost certainly be held responsible.
If your car had a manufacture or design issue, however, the carmaker may be to blame.
Assume you’re traveling down the road and come upon some standing water. You lose control of your car as it hydroplanes, and you collide with another vehicle. Can you claim that the standing water was a “act of God” and so you should not be held liable for the damage suffered by others as a result of the accident?
Is a Bad-Weather Accident An “Act of God for Which You Are Not Liable?
In general, it is the obligation of the driver to be aware of the driving conditions and to change their driving behavior accordingly. Drivers should expect limited visibility, slick pavement, and the danger of flooded areas of roadway when traveling through or shortly after a strong rainstorm. Drivers should respond by slowing down and attempting to maintain a greater distance between their vehicle and other vehicles. Drivers are in charge of maintaining vehicle control and taking all reasonable precautions to avoid crashes.
Assume you were driving considerably over the speed limit and tailgating the automobile in front of you when you hit the standing water. Assume the accident happened near your home, and you were aware that it had been raining heavily for some time, and that some portions of the road were prone to standing water. Accident investigators may conclude that you were entirely to blame for the resulting collision, determining that you should have anticipated the problems on the road and were neglectful in your duty to modify your driving to the conditions.
You may be able to establish that you were not negligent at all if you took all reasonable precautions. You could even be able to argue that the other driver was at blame, for example, because they abruptly changed lanes without indicating, had burned-out taillights, or were otherwise irresponsible.
As you can see, there are a number of elements that might make assessing culpability in a weather-related accident difficult. When serious injuries occur, accident investigators will dedicate a significant amount of time and resources to determining who is to blame. Investigators will interview everyone, check the vehicles and the road, and analyse the data from the car’s “black box” event recorder. They will also assess how heavy the traffic was.
You can file a claim for damages against the at-fault driver and their insurance company if you are harmed in such an accident. The majority of these lawsuits are handled outside of court, but when the circumstances of the occurrence are in question, a tiny number of cases go to trial. The key to winning your case, however, will be demonstrating that the accident was caused by someone other than yourself.
Speak to an Aggressive Waukegan Car Accident Attorney
Heavy rain or flooded roads can cause major physical and mental injuries in car accidents. Speak with a competent Lake County automobile accident lawyer who focuses their skill and efforts on such matters before settling an accident claim. Call 847-662-3303 for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer at Salvi & Maher, L.L.C.
Does hydroplaning damage your car?
As a general rule, avoid driving at high speeds through puddles or flood-strewn roadways. For starters, you have no idea how deep the water will be. It’s possible that what appears to be a few inches is actually half a foot. You also have no idea what lies behind the hazy surface. A sharp object could puncture your tire, leaving you stranded.
Driving through running water that is at least four inches deep or standing water that is six inches deep, in addition to the unexpected situations, can badly harm your car’s interior parts:
Hydroplaning and rapid loss of vehicle control can occur when driving through flood waters at high speeds. This could result in a collision involving other vehicles, pedestrians, or nearby property, depending on where you’re driving.
If your automobile dies while traveling through floodwaters, restarting it may exacerbate the situation. This maneuver allows even more water into the engine, potentially necessitating more repairs.
Can hydroplaning damage your tires?
Isn’t it true that the most perilous rainy driving conditions occur during a downpour? Nope. During the first 10 minutes of a light rain, it’s the most dangerous.
On asphalt roads, there is always some engine oil and grease buildup, which floats in water. Road surfaces will be slick whenever it rains, but especially so at the start of a rain shower, before any of the oily residue is wiped away. Rainy weather can be just as dangerous as driving on ice.
During the first rain after a dry summer (when oil has been collecting on the asphalt for a long time) and the first few hours after a fresh shower, be extremely cautious. Take these driving suggestions into consideration.
- Turn on your headlights to improve your visibility and that of others.
- Take it easy. You’re less likely to hydroplane if you travel 35 mph or slower since your tires have more traction on wet pavement at lower speeds. Reduced speed also gives you more time to react to standing water, sudden traffic slowdowns, damaged cars, and any debris blown into the road.
- Allow twice the stopping distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you.
- Use cruise control sparingly. When you start to hydroplane, your tires will spin quicker. When the tires regain traction, you may fishtail and lose steering control.
- Even if you’re driving slowly, don’t drive across water streaming across the road. With only 12 inches of water, an automobile can be washed away.
- Try to drive in the tire tracks that the automobiles ahead of you have left. They’ve taken care of some of the water dispersing for you.
- Keep to your lane. When visibility is low and stopping distance is twice what you need on a dry road, lane changes and passing are bad choices.
- Puddles and standing water should be avoided. You can hydroplane if you drive through several inches of water at a fast speed. It may also splatter water into your engine, causing it to stall. If you must drive through a puddle, make sure your brakes are in good working order by lightly tapping them a few times.
What Is Hydroplaning?
When your tires lose touch with the road and start rolling on top of a thin film of water, this is known as hydroplaning. It can happen at any time when a tire’s ability to channel water away quickly enough to retain good contact with the road is compromised. Driving across standing water isn’t the only thing that puts you in danger. It’s also perilous when it’s pouring heavily or you’re driving on worn tread.
When the tread of the tire is in good shape, the grooves provide a place for water on the road to go and eject it when the tire rolls. If you drive at a safe speed, you’ll have enough rubber in touch with the asphalt to maintain traction.
The grooves aren’t as deep when the tread depth is shallow due to tire wear. The grooves scatter less water, and the car may begin to hydroplane. Even if your tires are in good shape, it can happen if you drive too quickly for the conditions.
What It Feels Like
Hydroplaning gives the impression that the vehicle is floating or drifting in its own direction when you’re behind the wheel. When this happens, you lose control of your braking and steering.
It’s not always the case that all four wheels are involved. When your drive wheels hydroplane, your speedometer and engine RPMs (revolutions per minute) may increase as your tires begin to spin. Your car’s rear end will begin to drift sideways into a skid if the back wheels hydroplane. The car will skid forward in a straight line if all four wheels hydroplane.
What to Do If You Hydroplane
Although it may go against your instincts, the best way to get out of a hydroplane skid is to take your foot off the pedal and wait it out. Do not slam on the brakes or attempt to steer. Before your vehicle regains traction, most hydroplane-related skids last only a fraction of a second.
If you must brake when you begin to roll on water, do so gradually until the situation is resolved. Disengage the clutch as well if you have a manual transmission.
If you stomp on the brakes or tug on the steering wheel, you risk losing even more control. It’s advisable to hold off on braking until you’ve exited the skid.
If you have anti-lock brakes and need to brake to avoid accident, brake normally. If your vehicle does not have anti-lock brakes, lightly pump the brakes. Gently maneuver the vehicle in the direction you want it to go. As you regain traction, you may need to correct the car’s course with very minor steering wheel motions a few times, but don’t oversteer. All of this happens in a fraction of a second.
Don’t Be a Statistic
The majority of weather-related auto crashes, according to the Federal Highway Administration, occur on wet pavement and during rains. When it rains, 3,400 people are killed and over 357,300 are injured each year in car accidents.
When it rains, maintaining your tires and driving with extra caution can help you avoid hydroplaning and get where you’re going safely.
Do you have to deal with other hazardous circumstances, such as fog? See our page about driving in reduced visibility for more information.
Important Note: The given material is of a broad character and was obtained from a range of sources that were thought to be reasonably reputable. Your car’s functioning, as well as the maintenance or replacement of its equipment, may differ from that of a regular vehicle. Please refer to your owner’s handbook for particular warnings, notices, and other information regarding the topics discussed here.
- For his negligence in driving too fast and/or losing control of his vehicle, the driver of the hydroplaning vehicle.
- The hydroplaning vehicle’s individual driver or owner for his recklessness in employing old tires with shallow tread depths.
- The employer of a hydroplaning vehicle driver for the employee’s negligence in driving too fast, losing control of the vehicle, and/or utilizing worn tires (through vicarious liability).
- The government entity and/or commercial corporation accountable for the irresponsible design of a street, road, highway, or intersection that failed to appropriately drain or remove water, allowing puddles to collect in specific areas or excess water to amass in a general region.
- The government organization or private enterprise whose failure to meet design requirements or other negligent construction generated water risks, resulting in a hydroplaning accident.
- The government entity or commercial corporation that was neglectful in its duties to repair or maintain the street, roadway, or highway (including any gutters, drains, or other water-removal mechanisms), allowing water to build and produce a hydroplane hazard.
Driving in wet or rainy weather is a common occurrence, and for the majority of people, it is an unavoidable requirement. Unfortunately, driving in the rain puts you at a constant risk of experiencing water hazards and hydroplaning threats. Here are some tips for lowering your chances of being involved in a hydroplaning-related automobile or motorcycle accident:
- Slow down – The incidence and severity of hydroplaning are strongly related to speed. The amount of speed reduction should be proportional to the amount of water present. The harder it rains or the more water there is on the roadways, the more a driver should slow down their automobile, truck, or motorcycle.
- Stay attentive and stay away from water accumulations Driving in the rain necessitates paying close attention and keeping a continual eye out for any water accumulations that could cause hydroplaning. Avoid puddles, high water flows, and water buildup places if at all feasible. If these cannot be avoided, a driver should slow down even more when he approaches or passes through any location with high water collection or flow.
- Maintain a safe distance – On wet roads, maintain a safe distance between your car and all other vehicles. In the event of hydroplaning, such distance may be required to bring the vehicle under control.
- Water is more likely to accumulate on or near the outside lanes, therefore drive in the inner lanes. As a result, it is preferable to travel in the inside lanes while it is raining.
- Low tire treads dramatically increase the risk of hydroplaning, therefore don’t use them. Tires should be replaced and maintained on a regular basis to ensure that the treads operate as intended, channeling water away from the tire and reducing the risk of hydroplaning. Tires should be replaced when the tread depth falls below 5/32 inch, according to some experts. Tire treads must be at least 2/32 inch wide according to Georgia legislation.
- Check that all of your tires are properly inflated Hydroplaning is also more likely with underinflated tires. Check tire pressure on a regular basis to ensure that all tires are adequately inflated.
- Invest in tires with a decent tread pattern – not all tires are made equal. Many tire models have improved tread patterns that conduct water more effectively and reduce the risk of hydroplaning. Consider just choosing tires that have good water traction.
- Use cruise control sparingly in bad weather – Using cruise control in bad weather is extremely risky because it can accelerate the car during a hydroplaning occurrence. When it’s raining or there’s a chance of hydroplaning, cruise control should never be used.
Even if all of the above measures for avoiding the risk of hydroplaning are followed, any motorist can still have a hydroplane emergency in rainy weather. Knowing what to do if a car, truck, or motorcycle starts to hydroplane can mean the difference between an accident and a near-miss. As soon as a motorist suspects their car is hydroplaning, most experts advise them to undertake the following:
- Do not attempt to turn the car while it is hydroplaning; instead, grab and hold the steering wheel straight.
- Wait until the car has slowed or the tires have regained grip on the road before braking.
When a vehicle is hydroplaning, any extreme or rapid braking, turning, or other driver inputs are more likely to exacerbate the issue. As a result, no significant maneuvers should be attempted until the speed has been significantly reduced or the hydroplane has ended. After lowering the speed, a driver might lightly “tap” the brakes to assist the tires in regaining greater contact or grip with the road. The driver should never, however, “bang” on the brakes. If immediate braking is required to prevent a collision, the driver should utilize a mild “pumping” action to avoid skidding. The driver, on the other hand, can brake normally if the car has anti-lock brakes.