Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Samantha Hayes reporting It's a rare day when you spend both morning and afternoon rush hour in the rain.
With all that rain, the extra water on the roads and interstates is creating dangerous conditions.
Heavy rain causes water to pool. Combine that with speed, and you can lose control of your vehicle in an instant.
Lots of people driving in these conditions realize they need new tires, now.
Reese Carter, Big "O" Tires: “There is no rubber on this to channel everything out of the tire...the moisture, the water, even the snow, so that's where its just going to start hydroplaning all over the road."
Hydroplaning can happen when a combination of speed, tire wear, tire inflation, and water on the pavement causes the tires to lose traction.
Here's an old trick: Take a penny, stick it in the tread. If it only comes to the top of Lincoln’s head, it’s time to get your tires changed."
Reese Carter, Big "O" Tires: “You can see how open the channels are.. that lets a lot of the moisture be channeled out of the tires."
An electronic sign warns drivers of standing water on I-215 from State Street to 2300 East of a problem area.. Hydroplaning caused a fatal accident there last August.
Lt. Steve Myer, Utah Highway Patrol: “If the water gets underneath the tire and creates a flat surface you are going to hydroplane and lose control of your vehicle."
And at that point, there's not a lot the driver can do
Lt. Steve Myer, Utah Highway Patrol: “Don't make erratic movements with the steering or the braking. It should be a controlled steer out of whichever way your vehicle is trying to turn, turn in that direction.”
Utah Highway Patrol recommends:
Rainy Day Driving
- Slower than speed limit.
- More space
- Wipers, blades, and defrost, are working.
- Tires-traction and air pressure.
