How should you respond to a vehicle skid?

How should you respond to a vehicle skid?

• A. Brake hard to regain control.
• B. Ease off the accelerator and steer in the direction you want to go; regain control.
• C. Turn the steering wheel away from the skid and then slam brakes.
• D. Accelerate to regain traction.

Answer: (B)

When the vehicle starts to skid, the tires have lost grip and you can’t rely on normal steering. The goal is to regain control by reducing the forces causing the slip and steering toward where you want the front of the car to go. Easing off the accelerator slows you down and allows the tires to catch grip, while turning the wheel in the direction you want to travel helps realign the tires with the road. Once traction returns, you can straighten the wheel and resume normal steering. Braking hard or trying to steer aggressively in the opposite direction tends to worsen the skid, and accelerating can spin the tires further.

When the vehicle starts to skid, the tires have lost grip and you can’t rely on normal steering. The goal is to regain control by reducing the forces causing the slip and steering toward where you want the front of the car to go. Easing off the accelerator slows you down and allows the tires to catch grip, while turning the wheel in the direction you want to travel helps realign the tires with the road. Once traction returns, you can straighten the wheel and resume normal steering. Braking hard or trying to steer aggressively in the opposite direction tends to worsen the skid, and accelerating can spin the tires further.