If your car starts to hydroplane, what should you do?

When a car starts to hydroplane, the tires lose traction with the road due to a layer of water between the tires and the surface. The correct response is to gradually ease off the accelerator and avoid braking suddenly. This action allows the vehicle to decelerate in a controlled manner without causing further loss of traction or skidding.

Braking hard can cause the wheels to lock up, which may lead to a complete loss of control over the vehicle. Similarly, turning the steering wheel sharply can result in oversteering and loss of control as the tires do not have sufficient grip on the wet surface. Speeding up in an attempt to regain traction is dangerous, as it can exacerbate the hydroplaning situation. Thus, the most effective approach is to gently reduce speed by easing off the accelerator while maintaining steady control of the steering wheel.