The model
Aquaplaning: your tyres 'float' on a layer of water and lose grip (Book p.188) — you notice it from a sudden free play in the steering, or from steering suddenly feeling very light. Response: ease off the accelerator, press the clutch, do NOT brake, keep steering in the direction you want to go. Once your speed has dropped enough, the tyres regain grip.
Read this section on its own page: The model: Aquaplaning: what to do — and not do — when the tyres start to 'float'
Core
Rain makes the road surface more slippery — a longer braking distance — and increases the risk of aquaplaning: with a lot of water on the road, the tyres cannot (fully) clear the water and 'float' on the water surface instead of making contact with the asphalt (Book p.188). Three factors increase the risk: insufficient tyre tread or high speed (the tyre does not clear the water fast enough), wide tyres fitted (less weight per cm² of road), and driving in the right-hand lane of the motorway (more rutting, so more pooled water) (Book p.189). You prevent aquaplaning with three things at once: adjusted speed, tyres with good tread, and correct tyre pressure (Book p.189). On the same pages the book also names crosswind: heavy crosswind and especially sudden gusts are most dangerous on bridges and viaducts, where a noise barrier ends, and when overtaking a lorry (Book p.190) — three spots where you should expect extra steering correction in wind.
Read this section on its own page: Core: Aquaplaning: what to do — and not do — when the tyres start to 'float'
Why it matters
Someone who brakes during aquaplaning locks the wheels on a surface that already has no grip — steering and braking then both become impossible at once. On a bridge in strong crosswind, a sideways force is added on top of that — exactly where you encounter water on the road, the chance of a gust is also greatest.
Read this section on its own page: Why it matters: Aquaplaning: what to do — and not do — when the tyres start to 'float'
Source: RVV 1990 art. 19 · checked 2026-10-22
Test yourself
On the A7 near Joure it is raining hard. Suddenly your steering feels very light and the car stops responding normally to your steering input. What is happening, and what is the very first thing you do?
Show the answer
Aquaplaning: your tyres 'float' on a layer of water and lose grip (Book p.188) — you notice it from a sudden free play in the steering, or from steering suddenly feeling very light. Response: ease off the accelerator, press the clutch, do NOT brake, keep steering in the direction you want to go. Once your speed has dropped enough, the tyres regain grip.
Frequently asked questions
‘During aquaplaning you should brake hard to lose speed’ – is that true?
No. Braking during aquaplaning locks the wheels on a surface without grip and makes steering impossible; the correct response is easing off, clutch in, not braking, keep steering
‘During aquaplaning it is best to hold the steering wheel still and do nothing else, until it passes by itself’ – is that true?
No. You keep actively steering in the direction you want to go; holding the wheel still is not the same as 'not braking'
‘Aquaplaning is purely a matter of driving too fast; tyre tread or width makes no difference’ – is that true?
No. Besides speed, the book explicitly names tyre tread and tyre width as their own risk factors, independent of how fast you drive
‘Wide tyres are actually safer against aquaplaning than narrow tyres’ – is that true?
No. Wide tyres actually carry less weight per cm² of road and therefore increase the risk of aquaplaning
‘While overtaking a lorry you are less affected by crosswind, because the lorry blocks the wind’ – is that true?
No. On motorways the risk of (sudden) crosswind is greatest on bridges and viaducts, where a noise barrier ends and when overtaking a lorry