Slippery Roads and Hydroplaning

Key points

1. Slow down at the first sign of rain, snow or sleet.

   Source: Handbook p. 55

   “Decrease your speed at the first sign of rain, snow, or sleet.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 55

2. Slow down before a curve so you do not brake in it; braking in a curve can cause a skid.

   Source: Handbook p. 54

   “Slow down before a curve, so you don’t have to brake in the curve. Braking in a curve can cause the vehicle to skid.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 54

3. Bridges and overpasses can ice over while the road around them is clear.

   Source: Handbook p. 55

   “It is not unusual for bridges and overpasses to be ice covered and the stretches of roadway leading up to and away from the bridge or overpass to be clear.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 55

4. Most tires grip wet roads up to 35 mph; in heavy rain they can lose all traction at 50 mph.

   Source: Handbook p. 55

   “When it is raining, or the road is wet; most tires have good traction up to 35mph. In heavy rain, your tires can lose all traction with the road at 50 mph.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 55

5. The best way to avoid hydroplaning is to keep your speed down.

   Source: Handbook p. 55

   “The best way to keep from hydroplaning is to keep your speed down.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 55

6. If you hydroplane, slowly take your foot off the gas and keep the wheel straight.

   Source: Handbook p. 55

   “Slowly take your foot off the gas pedal. Keep the steering wheel straight.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 55

7. Pavement is especially slippery for the first few minutes of rain on a hot day.

   Source: Handbook p. 55

   “When it starts to rain on a hot day, pavement can be particularly slippery for the first few minutes.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 55

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Arkansas practice test

1. 1. If your vehicle begins to hydroplane, what should you do?

   1. Accelerate until the tires cut through the water
   2. Brake hard and turn quickly toward the shoulder
   3. Slowly take your foot off the gas and keep the steering wheel straight
   4. Turn the wheel back and forth rapidly
   Show answer

   Slowly take your foot off the gas and keep the steering wheel straight. During hydroplaning, the tires have lost contact with the road because they are riding on water. The manual advises slowly removing your foot from the gas and keeping the steering wheel straight. Do not try to stop or turn until the tires regain grip. Hard braking, rapid steering, or acceleration can increase the loss of control. If an emergency requires steering, move the wheel slowly. The useful cue is a light, steady response: ease off the accelerator, hold your path, and wait for traction to return before changing direction.

2. 2. At what speed can tires lose all traction with the road during heavy rain?

   1. 50 mph
   2. 35 mph
   3. 45 mph
   4. 65 mph
   Show answer

   50 mph. During heavy rain, tires can lose all traction with the road at 50 mph. That figure is a warning about water and speed, not a target to maintain. The 35 mph choice confuses the lower traction range mentioned for ordinary wet roads with the heavy-rain threshold. Forty-five mph may still be unsafe, but it is not the figure stated for complete traction loss. Slow before standing water, keep steering gentle, and remember that worn tread can make hydroplaning begin sooner.

3. 3. If rain or fog limits forward visibility to 200 feet or less, what maximum speed does the Arkansas guide advise?

   1. 15 mph
   2. 25 mph
   3. 30 mph
   4. 45 mph
   Show answer

   30 mph. When rain or fog reduces the view ahead to no more than 200 feet, the guide advises not driving faster than thirty miles per hour. The advice is tied to visibility, not merely the presence of clouds or a wet windshield. Fifteen and twenty-five are lower than the stated ceiling, while forty-five is too fast for the described sight distance. If the road ahead cannot be seen at all, the guide instead says to pull over safely and wait for clearer weather.

Source: the Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Chapter 5: Adjusting the Vehicle Speed. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.