What should you do when your vehicle hydroplanes?

• A. Release the accelerator
• B. Brake immediately
• C. Steer sharply into the direction of water
• D. Accelerate to regain traction

Answer: (A)

When tires ride on a thin layer of water, they can’t grip the road, so your vehicle can begin to slide. The way to handle this is to ease off the accelerator smoothly to slow down without braking hard. This helps the tires reestablish contact with the road and regain traction. Avoid braking suddenly or making sharp steering inputs, because those actions can throw the car into a skid or cause you to lose control. Let the car slow gradually, stay on a straight path, and wait until you feel the tires grip again. Once you sense traction returning, you can resume gentle steering and acceleration.