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Difficulty: EasyWet Weather and Aquaplaning

You are driving along a high-speed road in heavy rain where surface water has built up. How can you tell that your vehicle is beginning to aquaplane?

  1. A
    The engine cuts out immediately due to surface water entering the exhaust
  2. B
    The steering pulls heavily to one side and vibrates violently
  3. The steering feels light and unresponsive as the tyres lose contact with the roadAnswer
  4. D
    The tyres screech loudly against the wet road surface

Answer

The steering feels light and unresponsive as the tyres lose contact with the road.
When driving through standing water at speed, a wedge of water can build up in front of the tyres faster than the tread grooves can clear it. This lifts the tyres off the tarmac so they float on water, removing road resistance and causing the steering to feel light and unresponsive.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the physical cause and effect of aquaplaning on vehicle control.
Recognize that surface water builds up beneath the tyres faster than the tread can disperse it, causing the tyres to ride on a layer of water.
When tyres lose direct contact with the road surface, steering and braking grip are temporarily lost.
2
Determine the physical sensation experienced by the driver through the controls.
The steering wheel loses normal resistance and feels unusually light and loose.
Without tyre-to-tarmac friction, the wheels encounter little to no turning resistance.

Key Concept

Aquaplaning occurs when tyres ride on a film of standing water, causing a sudden loss of grip and a characteristically light steering feel.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Wet Weather and Aquaplaning

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