Beware Of Hydroplaning

Has your vehicle hydroplaned before? Mine hasn’t. But before we get to the nitty-gritty of hydroplaning, let me give plenty of flowers to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency for doing a great job. Because of this darling Agency, checking my phone for daily weather reports has now become my routine.

Thursday, 12th August 2026, was no different. After a hectic schedule, I got home, and apart from thanking God for a clement weather and other blessings, I did not bother God with frivolities such as the weather for the next day. But I thanked God for giving us this darling Agency.

Thursday, 13th August,2026 turned out to be another good day. I woke up to another rainy day, which has become a daily occurrence. But while I was blessing the heavens for opening its windows to pour out its blessings again, I never knew that the same blessing was to some neighbourhood in the Federal Capital Territory, a nightmare. It was when I received the first call and the first short message service (SMS) that I realised the havoc some parts of the city had gone through.

The tale was unimaginable; from Nyanya to some estates along the Airport Road, the tale was the same: it was about a flood that brought movement, by foot or by any form of mobility, to a standstill, with businesses almost crippled.

For every resident of the FCT, my simple advice is that you trust the Agency. Fall in love with their services and turn to their information as your next Holy Bible or Holy Koran to avoid regrets for not trusting their guidance before hitting the road. Others, irrespective of where you reside, should appreciate the Agency and trust them too.

Driving in the rain is always difficult. The first reason is poor visibility. The second is because of the bad driving habits, poor usage of headlights, especially from Sport utility vehicles with their height advantage over saloon cars, among others. Despite these difficulties, there is always a comic but sad sight to being caught in the heavy rains.

While you struggle to manoeuvre through the rain and the poor driving by some road users, it is a relief to see multiple cars pull over, especially those who, despite their poor driving skills, insist on driving to show off their new car acquisition. There are, however, some who pulled over because of poor eyesight caused by their stubbornness to drive without prescribed eyeglasses.

The few like me who dare the blessing from above are often compelled to comply with the common-sense speed rule that the Federal Road Safety Corps advocates. In all of the difficulties encountered during the rain, it is always a delight to see the major highway free of the usual traffic gridlock, which has become a common sight in the Federal Capital Territory.

It is, however, awful to see multiple vehicles involved in near misses and in minor and serious crashes, with just a few found cooling off by the drains. The story is not peculiar to the FCT. The simple truth is that the rains are here, thanks to climate change, and we must take necessary precautions to avoid road traffic crashes and possible deaths.

Driving in the rain is more difficult and hazardous, according to the Revised Highway Code. This week, I intend to run this material again as a guide for both new and old drivers, starting with the results of Thomas Olson and Michael Sivak’s 1988 research, which found that the amount of light required to see at night doubles every 13 years.

The research notes that at 20 years of age, you need 100 per cent of the light to see, while at 33 years, you will require twice the amount of light used to see at 20. The predominant age group of drivers on our roads would fall within the second category, and most of these drivers, in the context of our economy, cannot be considered on a balanced diet.

It therefore means that a good number of our drivers, because of other factors peculiar to us, would not even fit into the 1988 conclusions by Olson and Sivac. The vital lesson, however, is that we cannot downplay the importance of visibility. It is safe to drive with your light on when it is raining and at night.

Anytime visibility is poor, endeavour to have your headlights on. You must learn to turn your headlights on even if it is only misty. The idea is to increase and improve your visibility as well as other drivers’ ability to see your car on the road.

While we advise that we enhance our visibility, special care must be taken to avoid the typical Lagos driving of, kiss me, I kiss you or hanging on to someone’s rear light. This driving style has the potential to lead you off course; therefore, you must maintain a safe defensive distance.

It is also advisable to use a clean cloth soaked in soap to remove any particles that may have accumulated over time on your wiper, making it more effective. You must also learn to control your speed, which is covered in detail in other write-ups.

You are advised to adopt the common-sense speed limit by adjusting your speed to suit the weather, your vehicle, your capability and competence and your age, which we have said affects your sight or the amount of light required. Common sense, therefore, dictates that speed should be reduced when the weather is bad, or the roads are defective, e.g., on wet or slippery roads, or when the view is obscured by the smoky exhausts of other vehicles, harmattan dust, or foggy weather.

Critical to driving at any time is speed. It is identified as a critical factor, and that is why good driving demands that we obey speed limits at all times, especially during bad weather such as the rainy season. When the road is wet, the chances of your vehicle gliding are very slim. Also, vehicles in front of you, especially large or speeding ones, may raise a film of dirty water, further reducing visibility.

Your wipers must always work. When it is raining or the road is wet, leave at least double the normal stopping distance. If you are following a vehicle at a safe distance and another vehicle pulls into the gap you have left, drop back to regain a safe distance. If you are driving in very wet weather, you may find that your vehicle begins to aquaplane, i.e., slide.

Hydroplaning occurs when heavy downpours leave standing water, large puddles, and deep potholes across poorly drained expressways and city streets, causing a car’s tyres to lose contact with the pavement and glide on a layer of water. Simply put, it is when water builds up between the tyres and the road, making the steering feel light.

Hydroplaning is the most common car road traffic crash, occurring in the rain when drivers lose control. When your car hydroplanes, calmly take your foot off the accelerator and steer in the direction that the front of your car needs to go.

You must avoid making sudden turns or slamming on your brakes. Because of the risk of hydroplaning, you are advised to watch out for standing water when driving. This is because driving through standing water can cause hydroplaning and an ultimate crash. When this happens, you are likely to lose traction and skid on the road. To avoid hydroplaning, you are advised to avoid driving through areas where water has collected by changing lanes or steering around them safely. Alternatively, you are advised to monitor the weather situation to determine if driving is a wise decision.

Now let’s talk about steering handling at all times, including during the rains. The vogue on our major roads, including in cities, is to find a good number of drivers who hold the steering with one hand and eat or use their phone with the other. Some others would choose to rest their right arm on the front passenger’s headrest even in the rain.

The correct posture requires proper seating, 9- and 3-o’clock hand placement, and smooth push-pull or hand-over-hand movements.     tightly or crossing your arms over the airbag zone to maintain maximum vehicle control and safety. Avoid gripping the wheel too tightly or crossing your arms over the airbag zone to maintain maximum vehicle control and safety. Remember to keep your elbows slightly bent and relaxed, and avoid placing your hands inside or through the steering wheel rim. Hold your steering wheel with both hands except when shifting the gear lever or giving signals. The recommended way is to hold the steering on nearly opposite sides. This is derived from the clock hand positions. It is a traffic offence to drive with one hand only

Driving, we have noted, is all about visibility. You must be particularly careful at dusk and in misty or dusty environments when it is more difficult to judge speed and distance. To overtake, never do so if you are in doubt.

Overtaking is a dangerous manoeuvre. Ask yourself if you really need to overtake. Learn to signal in good time; ensure it is clear and safe, and that it is legal for you to overtake. Avoid overtaking at the crest of a hill, slope, built up arrears, corner, bend, narrow bridge or a bus stop. Do not overtake where the road narrows, or where your action would force another vehicle to swerve or brake suddenly, or if you would have to cross double solid white lines, or if the solid line of the centre lines is nearer you.

Lastly, remember that your tyres connect the vehicle to the road; they are the part of the vehicle that has direct contact with it. It is therefore important that you use good tyres and check your tyre pressures with a quality tyre pressure gauge (not the abused/overused roadside vulcaniser’s gauge). Such a check may reveal that at least one of your tyres is incorrectly inflated. Very few vehicles, if any, will pass this test.

Incorrect tyre pressure is the major cause of tyre blowouts, sudden tyre failures and premature tyre wear. Incorrect tyre pressure is an invitation to disaster, even if the tyres are brand new! It is a time bomb waiting for the right time to explode. The implication is that each time such a vehicle is driven, its occupants face grave danger without realising it. There are two types of incorrect tyre pressure. These are over-inflation and under-inflation.