Security Driver: Hydroplaning

By Anthony Ricci

Heavy rains definitely make any driver’s job much more difficult to deal with. Our visibility is decreased, traction reduced, not to mention those foggy windows and being uncomfortable and restricted in dripping wet rain gear. Before getting into your vehicle at the start of your shift ask yourself some important questions about the operator, vehicle and the environment.

First do a self-assessment; does rain usually get you down? You’re not alone, so think of the rest of the road users. Not only are they dealing with the many variables that occur when it rains but many are not in the safest mindset. People are distracted by the stress of driving in heavy rains and their attitudes and behaviors contribute to the over all accident rate. We need to keep a more positive attitude to deal with the rest of the world’s problems. Second, assess the vehicle that your about to get into. What is the condition of the vehicle and more importantly its tires? Did you check the tire pressure? Is the tread pattern designed to displace water? Are the treads more than half worn? Some of the newer more performance oriented cars have wider profile tires, which are not good in heavy rain. Are the tires all weather or more of a high performance tread pattern? How heavy is the vehicle that you are driving? Are the wiper blades worn and for some departments do they even work? Does the defroster work? Lastly, let’s take a second and address the actual roadway p...