Aquaplaning or hydroplaning occurs when a layer of water forms between a vehicle’s tyres and the road, causing the tyres to lose contact with the surface.
The Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has started round-the-clock patrols on the State’s newly built national highways and issued a warning on aquaplaning following a series of fatal accidents during monsoon.
The advisory includes surveillance camera videos showing vehicles, including a KSRTC bus, spinning and veering off the road after aquaplaning. Patrolling will continue until the monsoon ends. Officials said they would focus on speeding and waterlogged stretches.
The reason
Aquaplaning or hydroplaning occurs when a layer of water forms between a vehicle’s tyres and the road, causing the tyres to lose contact with the surface. Drivers can lose steering and braking control, especially when travelling at high speed through standing or flowing water.
The warning follows several accidents on national highways since the monsoon began. In Malappuram district alone, about a dozen people were killed in separate crashes and many others were injured.
Aquaplaning had played a role in the accident involving a private bus at Kuttippuram on July 26, in which one passenger was killed and more than 20 injured. More than four drifting incidents of smaller vehicles were reported on NH 66 in the district since the Kuttippuram accident.
Excessive speed
Preliminary assessments indicate that excessive speed on wet roads led to aquaplaning in those accidents.
The MVD has also flagged waterlogging on parts of the newly built highways as a safety concern. Several stretches of the six-lane NH 66 have reported water accumulation after heavy rain, drawing criticism over possible design flaws.
Traffic psychologist and former Deputy Transport Commissioner P.M. Mohammed Najeeb said many drivers become aware of aquaplaning only after experiencing it. “Even a thin layer of water can cause aquaplaning at high speed. Driving slowing during rain is the best way to prevent it,” he said.
Proper tyre pressure
The MVD has advised motorists not to use cruise control in the rain, to reduce speed and keep it below 60 kmph on wet roads or where water has collected. Drivers have also been asked to maintain proper tyre tread depth and correct tyre pressure. If a vehicle begins to aquaplane, drivers should hold the steering wheel steady, ease off the accelerator, avoid sudden braking or sharp steering, and allow the tyres to regain contact with the road. The MVD also advised motorists to avoid driving through waterlogged stretches or speeding through accumulated water.
Published – August 03, 2026 08:33 pm IST
