Carle Hall's SUV was a write-off after he lost control of it when he hydroplaned on a highway two years ago.

"I was floating on a skim of water. And then I was backwards, and the next thing I know I was upside-down in a ditch, coughing and choking from being underwater," Hall said.

Consumer Reports' experts say the faster you drive through standing water, the greater your risk of hydroplaning.

"Your tires physically lose contact with the road. They come in to some depth of water, and a wedge of water builds up in front of them. And they lift up, so there's actually tire, water, and then road," the magazine's Jennifer Stockburger said.

The best advice is to slow down on the roads. The tires you buy can also make a big difference.

Consumer Reports testers flooded a portion of a track with a centimetre of water. They then drove at increasing speed until the tires lost touch with the pavement. In the most recent all-season tire tests, many safely reached 90 kilometres per hour. But some, hydroplaned at only 75 kilometres per hour.

Worn tires are even more likely to hydroplane.

There are easy ways to test your tires by using a quarter. If you can see the top of the Queen's head your tires aren't worn out yet but Consumer Reports says it's probably time to start considering shopping for new tires.

And shopping for tires takes time.

"The tire manufacturers no longer keep thousands of tires waiting for the customer to purchase so the consumer has to think ahead," Paul McAlduff of North Vancouver's Tireland said. "Your tires didn't wear out on the day they went bald."

Advance shopping also gives you more choice.

If you are in the market for new wet weather tires, Consumer Reports says some of the tires that do the best in hydroplaning are the Michelin HydroEdge -- an excellent choice for those who need S or T speed-rated tires.

And the Continental ProContact EcoPlus are an excellent choice for those looking for a fuel efficient all season. The Goodyear Assurance Triple Tred are very good choices for those looking for tires that can handle all-weather conditions.

And when you are on the road, slowing down when there are puddles and not hitting the brakes if you hydroplane can spare you from having a serious accident.

This time of year in most of the province, winter tires are advised -- even required-- or you are required to carry snow chains on many mountain passes. And studded tires are not only allowed-- they are a very good idea.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen