Read this carefully because it is being written from the hard-earned perch of wisdom. Also, this is a matter of life and death.
I was driving to work on a chilly, rainy Friday morning. My one-year old was in the back seat, strapped into his car seat, reclined comfortably and chattering away about this or that in his usual, indescribably cute gibberish. I had the iPod plugged in and reggae was bubbling and percolating from the speakers—the boy loves happy music in the morning.
The fact that it was raining shouldn’t be a big deal. The fact that my small second son, mine and my wife’s reason for living, my first son’s little brother was sitting behind me is a big deal. And the folks at the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration know this, and because of this have made these facts public:
- From 1975 through 2008, an estimated 8,959 lives were saved by child restraint
- In 2008 alone, there were an estimated 79 deaths under the age of 5 years who were not properly restrained in a child safety seat
Here are a couple of other facts I found at SmartMotorist.com :
- The recommended speed limit for average wet highway travel is 55mph;
- There are three phases of hydroplaning.
According to the site, the three phases are:
- normal- full traction
- transition- tires are not displacing enough water
- hydroplane- no traction; car has become a boat
The folks at SmartMotorist.com said that although 55 mph is the recommended speed limit for wet roads, hydroplaning can occur at 35 mph depending on tire tread, the type of road surface, the severity of the rain…even the type of rain can be a factor.
Put it this way: according to SmartMotorist.com, in order to maintain traction in wet conditions, your tires have to displace a gallon of water per second away from that small patch of rubber that touches the road surface.
Say Hello To The Guardrail
You don’t have to get to the third phase to lose control. Trust me, I know. To the best of my recollection, my son and I were cruising along between 60 and 65 mph—just under the posted speed limit. We were in the right lane, where I intended to stay, and usually do when I have the boy with me.
Also, the rain wasn’t that heavy. But there was an area of standing water that I did not see. The moment we entered that area, we instantly went from the normal phase into the hydroplane phase. The car’s back end came around to the left; we sailed across the left lane, struck the guardrail and went into a full spin. The front end of the car smashed into the opposite guardrail and we finally came to a stop after another fifty yards.
My son was upset but unharmed in his car seat.
I cannot say the same for myself. Though I sustained no physical injuries, I did not walk away unharmed. I will never forget the helplessness I felt as the car sailed uncontrollably into the mercy of physics and fate. And worse, I put us into that situation. I was ignorant to the facts about wet weather driving.
Sure, I’ve heard of hydroplaning and I knew that I was supposed to slow down in the rain, but like many of you probably do now, I believed I was being careful enough.
I won’t let it happen again.
It Can Happen To You
How many times have you exceeded 55 mph in the rain, in your car on the highway? How many times have you driven through standing water and chuckled at the resulting fanned spray of water? Anyone who’s been driving for any length of time likely has. But you should know that in each of those instances, you’ve put yourself, your passengers, and the people on the road around you in real danger.
Don’t be complacent; check your tires and know the facts. Visit websites like SmartMotorist.com or NHTSA.gov.
References
- Facts about child safety seats retrieved 20 March 2011 from http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811160.pdf
- Facts about hydroplaning retrieved 21 March 2011 from http://www.smartmotorist.com/driving-guideline/hydroplaning-aquaplaning.html
Don O'Cull - I have a BFA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. I’ve been writing poetry, prose, fiction, and a little nonfiction ...
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