ORLANDO, Fla. – After spending several years patrolling Central Florida's roads with the Florida Highway Patrol, News 6 Traffic Safety Expert Steven Montiero said he's convinced nearly all crashes are preventable if drivers would stay focused and prepared with the right set of skills behind the wheel before taking to the road.
One of the things Montiero recommends Florida drivers be prepared for is the possibility that their vehicle hydroplanes while driving in wet conditions.
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"Our summer months are some of the worst for troopers here in Central Florida because with our sunshine comes afternoon storms, leading to one crash after another," Montiero said. "I can’t even count how many single-vehicle crashes I responded to on the highways here in town that, when I got there, the driver simply said, 'I don’t know what happened. The car just lost control.'”
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Montiero said that typically isn't the case, though.
"No, you lost control," he'd tell drivers.
According to Montiero, hydroplaning takes place when the tires of a vehicle ride on top of standing water instead of the surface of the roadway and makes drivers feel like their vehicle is floating.
This can be pretty scary, but we have to stay calm," he said. "Once panic sets in, it strips you of your good decision making skills and I can almost guarantee your chances of crashing are pretty good."
What should you do, then, if your vehicle hydroplanes?
Let's say your car is starting to feel weird and you’ve lost control of your steering. Montiero recommends doing the following:
With a calm mind, slowly let off the gas, all while maintaining a firm grip and keeping control of the steering wheel.
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"Do not make any drastic corrections of the steering wheel because this will accomplish nothing," he said.
Instead, slowly steer into the direction your car is headed. Then, when your tires begin to regain traction, start to regain direction of your vehicle.
"If this ever happens to you, the final step I would recommend is, if you are able to, go ahead and find a safe place to pull off at and take a few minutes to breathe and pat yourself on the back for being a safe driver," Montiero said.
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