Skidding is loss of control over the direction your car is moving because of reduced traction.
What Can Make Your Car Skid?
Whenever you skid, one of three things happened: traction was reduced, you tried to change speed too quickly or you changed direction too quickly.
- Reduced Traction
When traction is reduced your tires lose their grip on the road’s surface and the car begins to slide.
- Changing Speed Too Quickly
Changing speed too quickly can make you lose traction and go into a skid.
- Changing direction Too Quickly
Look at the speed limit signs posted just below the warning signs as you near a curve. They tell you the maximum safe speed you should use to enter the curve. You need to adjust speed downward according to conditions.
What Are the Kinds of Skids?
Knowing the kind of skid you are experiencing will help you to manage the risk involved and may even help you to prevent skidding. There are four basic kinds of skids: braking, power, cornering, and blowout. If you know the causes and results of these kinds of skids and the conditions under which they occur you can deal with them safely.
- A braking skid occurs when you apply the brakes so hard that one or more of the wheels lock.
- A power skid occurs when you suddenly press on the accelerator too hard.
- A cornering skid occurs when you lose steering control in a turn.
- In a blowout skid a tire suddenly loses air pressure.
- How Do You Respond to a Skid?
How can you manage the risk of a skid and drive out of it?
- If you have time, ease off the gas pedal and shift into Neutral. Stay off the brake.
- With your foot off the pedals, steer in the direction you want the car to go.
- Each time the skid changes direction, turn the wheel smoothly and quickly in the direction you want the car to go.
- Keep steering until you are out of the skid.