Poor drainage leads to additional accumulation, a prime concern for road engineers, Cherveny said.
If the amount of water a tire must displace through tread grooves is greater than the capacity of the tire, excess water builds up in front of the moving tire. As water pressure mounts, the fluid acts as a wedge and literally lifts the tire off the road, similar to the bow of a speedboat lifting off the water.
Aquatred 3's dual aquachannels and directional lateral grooves facilitate the flow of water from the front to the rear of the tire, he said.
"Loss of traction on wet pavement is a potential driving dilemma year-round, but it doesn't have to be," Cherveny said. "When it rains, slow down, drive cautiously, steer and brake with a light touch and make sure you have adequate tread depth remaining on your tires."
A car's speed plays a major role in wet-traction performance; loss of traction can occur at speeds as low as 45 mph or less on curves. A smooth road, low vehicle weight and low tire inflation pressures also contribute to loss of traction, he said.
Aquatred 3 provides 8 percent better wet braking distance than Aquatred II. At 45 mph, that's nearly 13 feet shorter.
And when the sun comes out, Aquatred 3 continues to shine, Cherveny said. A 10 percent wider footprint than Aquatred II delivers 6 percent improved dry traction and an 80,000-mile treadlife limited warranty.