You are driving at 50 mph when severe surface water causes your vehicle to aquaplane, making the steering feel light and unresponsive. In what order should you carry out the following actions to safely regain control?
- 1Hold the steering wheel steady and straight in your intended path of travel.
- 2Smoothly ease your foot off the accelerator pedal without touching the footbrake.
- 3Allow vehicle momentum to drop until steering resistance returns as tyres disperse the water.
- 4Apply gentle directional control and resume normal driving adjustments once grip is confirmed.
Answer
The correct sequence begins with holding the steering wheel steady and straight, followed by smoothly easing off the accelerator, allowing vehicle speed to drop until steering resistance returns, and finally making gentle driving adjustments once positive road grip is restored.
When aquaplaning occurs, the tyres lose contact with the road surface and ride on a cushion of water. The correct procedure is to first keep the steering wheel steady and aligned straight ahead, gently ease off the accelerator to let speed bleed off naturally without braking, wait for the steering to regain its normal weighted feel as tyres cut through the water, and only then apply normal steering or braking inputs.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Procedural response to aquaplaning and traction recovery on wet roads
Estimated Time:1m 0s