A rainy, wet U.S. Highway 180 proved to be fatal for Charles Surgin Gardner on Wednesday.
His 2017 Polaris Slingshot hydroplaned and skated off the highway, accident reports said. It then went through a ditch and a fence, causing Gardner to sustain serious injuries.
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He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
The 48-year-old who lived in Glenn Heights was wearing a seatbelt as he drove the three-wheel vehicle, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
The accident happened around 6:15 p.m. and there were no other vehicles involved.
The authorities will continue to investigate the incident and more information could be revealed in other accident reports.
Initial evidence suggests that no one is at fault for the crash and Gardner’s family will not need to reach out to a car injury lawyer.
Hydroplaning is a dangerous phenomenon that occurs when a tire travels through more water than it can push away.
The water pressure in front of the wheel sends the water under the tire causing it to separate from the road surface by a light layer of water.
The tires lose much-needed traction and the driver has virtually no control over braking or steering.
Anytime the road is wet, hydroplaning can occur. However, the road tends to be most dangerous within the first ten minutes of light rain.
The combination of rain and residual oil create a slippery road surface. Vehicles that are traveling at more than 35 miles per hour are more likely to hydroplane.
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