Hydroplaning takes place when a tire is lifted off the road by a wedge of water getting trapped under the leading edge of the tire as it travels through a puddle of water. The speed at which a tire hydroplanes is a function of the vehicle velocity, water depth, vehicle load, tire pressure, and most importantly the tread pattern depth and design. When the tire is unable to remove sufficient water from its path, water lifts the tire completely off the road, causing the vehicle to lose control.