A woman driving along a highway in the rain loses steering control, runs off the road and totals her vehicle. Luckily, she escapes serious injury. A patrolman at the scene explains that her car hydroplaned because she was using cruise control. He advises her never to use cruise control in the rain.

Although the precise location, type of vehicle and other details vary, versions of this story have circulated around the Internet for at least four years in a seemingly endless e-mail chain. AAA members frequently ask about the truth of the tale—especially whether to heed the advice about not using cruise control in the rain. Safety experts can’t vouch for the circumstances of the story, but the moral is a good one to follow.

Hydroplaning occurs when a thin film of water gets under your tires, literally lifting them off the pavement. In heavy rain or at high speeds, the treads of tires can’t channel water from under the tire fast enough, a layer of liquid builds up and your vehicle skims across the surface with virtually no traction. When driving on wet roads in any vehicle—front-, rearor four-wheel drive—take these tips:

• Slow down. The faster you travel, the greater the risk of hydroplaning, even in a relatively light shower. Posted speed limits assume ideal conditions, not rainslick pavement.

• Shut off cruise control. Most owner’s manuals warn against using cruise control (sometimes called “speed control”) in wet or icy conditions. In fact, a few models automatically lock out cruise control when you use the windshield wipers at certain settings.

• Check your tire pressure. Fully inflated tires channel water away better than do underinflated ones, reducing the risk of hydroplaning.

• Pull over if necessary. Experts note that the danger of hydroplaning is greatest during the first few minutes of a storm (when rainwater loosens oil and other substances embedded in the pavement) and whenever rain falls heavily enough to form bubbles on the roadway.