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Difficulty: MediumWet Weather and Aquaplaning

In torrential rain, your vehicle enters standing water and the steering suddenly feels light and unresponsive. What should you do to restore tyre grip and control?

  1. A
    Brake firmly and steer sharply away from the pooled water
  2. Gently ease off the accelerator and keep the steering wheel steady until grip returnsAnswer
  3. C
    Maintain your cruising speed while relying on a standard two-second following distance
  4. D
    Apply the footbrake hard assuming standard dry-road braking distance will bring you to a halt

Answer

Gently ease off the accelerator and keep the steering wheel steady until grip returns
When a vehicle aquaplanes, water builds up in front of the tyres faster than the tread grooves can evacuate it, lifting the tyres off the tarmac. Easing off the throttle reduces speed progressively without upsetting vehicle balance, allowing the tyres to cut through the water film and re-establish traction.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Recognise the symptom of aquaplaning
Identify that light steering indicates tyres are floating on a wedge of water with loss of road contact
Correct identification prevents panic reactions such as harsh braking or rapid steering
2
Release throttle pressure gradually without braking or turning abruptly
Vehicle speed decelerates smoothly
Allows tyre treads to displace pooled water and restore frictional contact with the tarmac
3
Maintain directional stability until steering resistance is felt
Full steering and braking control are safely regained
Sudden steering angle changes while floating can cause severe skidding once grip returns

Key Concept

Aquaplaning occurs when water builds up between tyres and the road surface, causing a loss of traction that must be resolved by decelerating smoothly without harsh pedal or steering inputs.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Wet Weather and Aquaplaning

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