What is what should you do when your car starts to skid?

If your car starts to skid, it's crucial to react calmly and correctly to regain control. Here's a breakdown of what to do:

• Identify the Skid Type: Determine if you're experiencing a front-wheel skid (understeer) or a rear-wheel skid (oversteer). This affects your response.

• Stay Calm: Panic will only worsen the situation. Take a deep breath and focus on steering.

• Ease Off the Pedals: Immediately release the accelerator and brake pedals. Avoid sudden braking or acceleration, which can make the skid worse.

• Steer in the Direction of the Skid: This is counterintuitive but essential.

  • Rear-wheel skid: Steer towards the direction the rear of the car is sliding. For example, if the rear is sliding to the right, steer to the right.
  • Front-wheel skid: Ease off the accelerator and gently steer in the direction you want to go. You may need to straighten the wheel slightly to regain grip.

• Avoid Overcorrection: Once you feel the car regaining traction, gently straighten the steering wheel. Overcorrecting can cause the car to skid in the opposite direction.

• Look Where You Want to Go: Focus your eyes on the path you want to follow. This helps your brain guide your hands to steer in the correct direction.

• Braking (if equipped with ABS): If your car has Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), apply firm and steady pressure to the brake pedal. The ABS will automatically modulate the braking to prevent wheel lockup. Do not pump the brakes.

• Braking (if not equipped with ABS): If your car doesn't have ABS, use threshold braking: apply firm pressure to the brakes, but release slightly if you feel the wheels locking up. Pump the brakes gently if necessary to maintain some steering control.

• Once Controlled: Once you've regained control of the vehicle, gently steer back onto your intended path.