Chaos on the highways: heavy rain causes aquaplaning accidents!

Chaos on the highways: heavy rain causes aquaplaning accidents!

On Monday afternoon, July 21, 2025, a series of accidents caused by unexpectedly heavy rain occurred on the A2, A10, A115 and A9 motorways near Potsdam. The motorway police in Michendorf reported an increasing number of incidents in which numerous vehicles were affected. Fortunately, there were no life-threatening injuries, but many passengers complained of injuries and various bodywork damage occurred. The accidents were particularly concentrated in the south and west of Potsdam, especially between Hohen Fläming, Brandenburg an der Havel and Teltow-Fläming. At the time of reporting, the exact number of accidents was unclear, but aquaplaning was identified as the main cause. Inappropriate speed often played a role in these accidents. A serious incident was reported on the A2 where a Skoda station wagon left the road, overturned and landed in a wooded area. The driver was injured and taken to the hospital; his vehicle was totaled. According to a highway police spokesman, all other injured people were less seriously affected and the cases were limited to sheet metal damage.

Aquaplaning is an often underestimated risk that not only affects older vehicles, but also modern cars with safety devices such as ESP or all-wheel drive. This danger occurs when the tires “float” on wet roads and lose contact with the road. This means that steering and braking commands can no longer be transmitted, which often leads to a significant loss of control. It becomes particularly dangerous when drivers try to brake abruptly or steer hectically - this can quickly lead to further accidents. Experts advise reducing speed in heavy rain and paying attention to appropriate signs. These include speed limits “in wet conditions” and warnings about the risk of skidding or slipping. Drivers should also be particularly careful on bridges, curves or rutted roads where deeper ruts can collect water.

Tips for avoiding aquaplaning

To minimize the risk of aquaplaning, experts recommend the following procedures: On wet roads, drivers should slow down and drive away from ruts to ensure that the tires are in contact with the road. Tires with sufficiently good tread depth are also crucial; the legal minimum tread depth is 1.6 millimeters. If you pay attention to a spongy feeling in the steering wheel or if the drive wheels are spinning, you can recognize early signs of aquaplaning. In such a case, it is important to remain calm, hold the steering wheel, steer gently and take your foot off the accelerator while avoiding abrupt braking. These tips are helpful in maintaining control of the vehicle in critical situations.

That's why it's even more important to be particularly careful in the current weather situation, which also predicts that after a dry summer there will be a wet autumn with frequent heavy rainfall. The risk of aquaplaning is often underestimated, even if it can be significantly reduced by simply reducing your speed. Today's events remind us how important it is to adapt your driving style, especially in such changeable weather conditions.