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Hydroplaning occurs when a vehicle's tires lose contact with the road surface due to a layer of water that builds up between the tires and the pavement. This situation creates a loss of traction, making it difficult or impossible to steer or brake effectively. Essentially, the vehicle is riding on top of the water rather than maintaining proper contact with the road, which can lead to a complete loss of control.

Drivers need to be particularly cautious during rainy conditions, especially if the water on the roadway accumulates and exceeds the tire's ability to disperse it. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining proper tire tread depth and ensuring tires are appropriate for wet conditions to reduce the likelihood of hydroplaning.

While sudden braking on wet roads can potentially contribute to loss of control, it is the specific condition of losing contact with the road due to water buildup that defines hydroplaning. Furthermore, driving on ice and using tires unsuitable for wet weather are related safety concerns but do not describe the hydroplaning phenomenon itself.