How To Control A Skid

The possible causes of your vehicle unexpectedly skidding or sliding while you're driving are varied, but it's often the result of a perilous road surface. Ice, snow, or standing water can transform asphalt into a waterslide. Even the slightest mist after a drought can mix with the oils in the road and send your tires groping for grip.

Sometimes you'll hit one of these areas and simply have your back wheel slip out into a fishtail through no fault of your own. But more commonly, the driver does have something to do with their vehicle entering skid mode. Braking on ice, speeding over road puddles, or flying around a corner on a snowy day can all trigger a loss of traction. But by using the right methods, you can correct the error and avoid an accident.

Skid Recovery

As hard as it is to do when the adrenaline shoots through your body, you need to stay calm when you feel your wheels slipping. Don't floor the brake or gas pedal, or begin wildly cranking the steering wheel. Not only are these techniques futile, but they'll actually exacerbate the bad situation you're in.

Instead, steer into the fishtail and remove your foot, slowly, from the accelerator. Some instructors might even tell you to push in the clutch. Thus, if your rear wheels bolt out to the left, turn the steering wheel smoothly to the left (but not drastically) and ease up from the gas pedal.

What will happen? The rear tires will slow their rotation enough to regain their grip. Your car will soon stop sliding and begin to straighten, and you can bring the wheel back to center. It seems counterintuitive to aim your car in the direction it's skidding, but it's the only way to get control back―and you'll be relieved when it works.

Panicking might cause you to do what many people feel is the natural (but entirely wrong) maneuver: to steer harder in the direction you want to go, which is opposite from the skid, and gun the engine even harder to force the vehicle to comply. This will quickly send you into a spinning donut slide, completely losing control of the car.

Tips for Skid Prevention

• Decelerate before making a turn or rounding a bend on a slippery surface (or even a dry one).

• Do not brake hard on a slippery surface.

• Keep your speed appropriate for the conditions.

• Do not panic when you come upon hazardous road conditions; just concentrate. Exercise good judgment and be prepared to use skid recovery skills if necessary.

Essentially, to control a skid you'll need to react against your instincts, instead letting your brain decide to make the opposite maneuver. And you'll need to make this decision in a split second.

Many driving schools offer a hazardous-conditions course that offers important instruction and also a bit of fun practicing fishtailing on closed courses. A bit of practice could help you automatically make the right moves when they're needed.