What should you do if you must drive through a deep puddle?

Gently applying your brakes after driving through a deep puddle is an important practice for maintaining control of your vehicle and ensuring its safety. When you drive through a puddle, water can accumulate on the brake components, which may cause the brakes to become less effective momentarily due to the wetness. By gently applying your brakes after exiting the puddle, you help to remove excess water and restore their effectiveness. This action allows the brake pads to make better contact with the rotors, ultimately enhancing stopping power and improving your overall control of the vehicle.

Choosing to drive around the puddle when possible is also a good strategy, as it avoids the hazards associated with large volumes of water on the road. However, if avoiding the puddle isn't an option, then drying the brakes is essential for safe driving. Accelerating quickly or speeding through could lead to loss of control or damage to your vehicle, particularly with potential hydroplaning effects. Thus, gentle braking is a prudent and responsible approach after navigating through standing water.