Rainy weather makes the road slick — do you know how to avoid hydroplaning?
School Bus Full of Pre-K Students Hydroplanes on Loop 410
According to a KSAT News report, a school bus transporting Pre-K students hydroplaned while traveling to swimming lessons this morning.
Police reported the accident occurred at around 9:30 a.m. on the Westbound lanes of Loop 410 not far from McCullough Avenue in the North Star Mall area. The bus was transporting 40 students and 8 adults, with parents following behind, to swimming lessons when it hydroplaned and crashed. No injuries were reported, and no other vehicles were involved in the accident. Multiple lanes were closed but have since reopened. The parents were contacted, and the children were reportedly returned to campus.
Did You Know?
Over 544,700 people are injured in accidents on wet pavement yearly across the U.S.
Hydroplaning: How to Avoid It and What to Do If You’re Injured in an Accident
Do you know how to avoid hydroplaning?
Hydroplaning is when your vehicle’s tires lift off the road onto the surface of the water, and you lose control of your vehicle — scary, I know. You can be seriously injured in an accident if you don’t know how to avoid hydroplaning.
Fortunately, hydroplaning is not only avoidable but there are also steps you can take to safely regain control of your vehicle if you do hydroplane. Let’s take a look.
How to Avoid Hydroplaning
Even the most skilled drivers can experience hydroplaning if the conditions are right. However, if you follow these steps, you will significantly reduce your risk:
- Use Extra Caution — Have you ever seen the purply greenish color in the water on the road? That’s oil and chemicals floating on the surface of the water, making the road extra slick. Watch out for other drivers skidding and leave more following distance than normal while it’s raining.
- Slow Down — Hydroplaning usually happens when you’re driving too fast or accelerating too quickly.
- Turn Off Cruise Control — You need full control over your vehicle for faster reaction time.
- Avoid Standing Water — If you can, drive around it. If you can’t, drive slowly through it to avoid hydroplaning.
- Maintain Your Tires — You are more likely to hydroplane if your tires are bald.
How to Regain Control
Your first instinct when you lose control is to slam on your brakes. Don’t do that — you will cause your vehicle to spin out. Do this instead:
- Calm Down — First, get your panic under control. It’s scary to hydroplane, but panicking only makes it worse.
- Ease Off the Accelerator/Brakes — Slowly ease your foot off the accelerator or brake when you start to hydroplane. The key is to not make any sudden movements.
- Turn Into the Skid — It seems counterintuitive, but it works. Don’t turn sharply or overcorrect. The key to regaining control is calm, steady movements.
- Feel for the Tires Reconnecting — Once you feel the tires reconnecting with the road, begin to adjust your speed accordingly.
You’re now ready to ride out a hydroplaning event like a pro. But what about the drivers around you?
Injured in a Rainy-Weather Auto Accident? Call Carabin Shaw.
If you were hurt by a careless driver in inclement weather, you could be entitled to compensation for things like:
- Ambulance Costs,
- Medical Bills,
- Ongoing Medical Costs,
- Missed Work,
- Property Damage,
- Wrongful Death,
- and More.
We can help you find out for free.
Carabin Shaw has represented those injured in auto accidents across Texas for over 30 years. We’re a trusted name in San Antonio because we put our clients first. Call our team for a free case evaluation at 800-862-1260, or jump into the live chat to get started. We look forward to serving you.