The next time you find yourself behind the wheel of car in a rainstorm, be sure to disable cruise control. If you end up hydroplaning, your cruise control can make it a lot more dangerous.
Cruise control is a great feature, especially on those long road trips, but make sure you keep an eye out for wet roads and rain. Wet roads are dangerous because the rainwater causes the oil and grease on the road to rise up to the top of the water. This creates a slippery, icelike condition on the road, but it can get much worse if your tires can't tread through the water fast enough. When that happens, it's called Hydroplaning, and it can happen at speeds as low as 35 MPH.
Cruise control makes hydroplaning worse by trying to keep your vehicle going at a constant speed. If your tires are treading water and unable to grip the road, your car thinks that it's not going fast enough and will increase your speed. Cruise control can be disabled by applying your brakes, but hitting your brakes while hydroplaning will only make the skidding worse.
When you're driving on wet roads, disable your cruise control and lower your speed. If you do start to skid or hydroplane, take your foot off the gas, grasp the steering wheel with both hands, and steer toward the direction of the skid. Once you have some control you can correct your car and get centered back in your lane.
Hazards of Driving in the Rain with Cruise Control | The National Safety Commission
Photo by Jennifer Morton .
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