Hydroplaning Accidents in San Diego

Accidents in San Diego can happen for a variety of reasons. While negligent motorists and poorly maintained roads are some of the most common factors, inclement weather can also cause accidents to occur. Every year, San Diego experiences heavy rainfall and storms, increasing the risk of hydroplaning accidents occurring. 

What is Hydroplaning?

Hydroplaning is when a vehicle’s tires lose contact with the road due to heavy rainfall, causing them to slide on a layer of water and making the vehicle difficult to control. Initially, the front tires may start to ride up on the water’s surface. As hydroplaning progresses and the rear tires also begin riding along the water’s surface, the driver begins to lose control of their vehicle. Losing control of your vehicle due to hydroplaning can be extremely dangerous and cause you to veer off the road and potentially crash.

How Does Hydroplaning Happen? 

To truly understand hydroplaning, you must understand rolling traction. Rolling traction is the friction between a vehicle’s tires and the road that results in a vehicle’s forward motion.  When water covers the road, fast-moving tires can’t displace enough water to successfully contact the pavement beneath it. Thus, the water begins to lift the tires up and cause the vehicle to hydroplane. It’s important to note that a variety of factors play a role in hydroplanes, and the severity of these instances can vary based on the following primary factors that have been identified by our attorneys at The Barnes Firm.  

Water Level

The water depth on the road plays a significant role in whether or not your vehicle hydroplanes. If there is more than one-tenth (1/10th) of an inch of water on the road, you risk hydroplaning. However, there are instances where lower water levels cause hydroplaning incidents, especially if there is other liquid residue present on the road at the same time.  

Vehicle Weight

Heavier vehicles, like trucks, may be helpful when driving along water-covered surfaces. Their larger size and tires can help them to traverse wet roads more efficiently, whereas smaller vehicles with smaller tires become more susceptible to hydroplanes. Regardless of what you drive, it is important to always practice safe driving habits when roads are wet.

Vehicle Speed

Speed plays a huge role in hydroplaning incidents. If your vehicle is moving fast, meaning your tires are spinning rapidly, they may not be able to displace water efficiently enough to contact the pavement. As we discussed earlier, when your tires can’t successfully displace water and contact the pavement, they will ride up onto the water and cause your vehicle to begin hydroplaning.  

Tire Characteristics

Your vehicle’s tires can make all the difference. Tires with a wider tread are more vulnerable to hydroplaning because their larger surface area gives water more time to form into a wedge and fully separate your vehicle from the pavement. Additionally, tires lacking enough tread depth also become more vulnerable to hydroplaning. 

What Measures Can I Take to Prevent Hydroplaning? 

When hydroplaning occurs, it can cause severe, and sometimes fatal, accidents and injuries to all those involved. Over the last 38 years, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), has reported almost 115,000 fatal hydroplaning accidents. It’s crucial to understand what you can do to avoid hydroplaning. Our attorneys recommend the following safety measures to help you, and your loved ones avoid hydroplaning.

Check Your Tires

With tires being a major factor in hydroplaning incidents, it’s important that you’re familiar with your own. Inspecting your tread depth using the penny method is a good start and will let you know whether you should replace your tires. Then, you should also check if your tires are properly inflated, as proper inflation will enable your tires to displace water on the road more effectively. Lastly, you can look into purchasing tires with special tread patterns that make it easier for them to maintain contact with the road in inclement conditions.

Check Road/Weather Advisories

It’s always important to check for weather advisories and road condition/status updates before driving during inclement weather conditions. Regardless of how heavy or light rainfall is, the risk of hydroplaning remains. Always be familiar with these and plan accordingly to keep yourself and others safe from hydroplaning incidents.

Practice Safe Driving Habits

How you drive on wet roads can play a significant role in whether your vehicle hydroplanes. First, it’s important to never engage your vehicle’s cruise control when there’s significant levels of water on the road. Remember, hydroplaning can happen in an instant, so having your vehicle in cruise control may not afford you the time necessary to take control in the event you begin hydroplaning.

Lowering your speed to 50mph or less while driving along wet roads can help prevent hydroplaning. By slowing down, you afford your tires more time to displace water and maintain contact with the road. If possible, keeping your vehicle between 30-35mph is ideal.

While driving in the rain, look for tracks created by other drivers and try to align your tires with their tire marks. These tracks likely have less water on them and can help you navigate wet roads more efficiently.

What Should I Do If My Car is Hydroplaning? 

By practicing the safety measures mentioned earlier, you should be able to avoid hydroplaning. However, if your vehicle does happen to hydroplane, our attorneys recommend the following: 

• Stay calm. Panicking will only make the situation worse, so do your best to remain calm and keep control of your vehicle. 
• Avoid any sudden maneuvers. Sudden movements, such as steering, braking, or accelerating can worsen hydroplaning and cause you to veer off the road and crash. 
• Ease off your gas. Gradually decrease your vehicle’s speed by easing off the gas without using your brakes. This helps you to regain traction. 
• Steer straight. If you feel your vehicle skidding or sliding, steer straight in the direction you want to go. Over-correcting can cause your vehicle to skid or slide further. 
• Don’t brake. Avoid the impulse to slam on your brakes, as this will only cause your vehicle to further lose traction. If absolutely necessary, gently and gradually apply the brakes.  
• Wait for traction to return. As you gradually decrease speed, you should begin to regain traction and control. Once you do, continue driving with caution. 
• Reduce speed. Once you regain control, reduce your speed to avoid hydroplaning again. Remember that driving too fast along wet roads increases your risk for hydroplaning.

Call The Barnes Firm 

If you or a loved one has been injured in a hydroplaning accident caused by a negligent motorist, our team at The Barnes Firm can help. While you prioritize recovery, we will prioritize your case and guide you towards getting the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (800) 800-0000 to claim your FREE case evaluation. It could be the best call you make. 

Richard Barnes – President of The Barnes Firm

Richard Barnes: “As President of The Barnes Firm, I have dedicated my career to achieving justice in hundreds of cases for the victims of injuries caused through the fault of others. Additionally, I have been honored to have been elected Best Lawyer and a Super Lawyer”

Years of Experience: 30+ years
LinkedIn Profile: Richard Barnes