If you've ever been on the road and suddenly felt like your car was about to slide out of control, then you know that it's not something that you want to happen ever. Skidding or sliding is a frightening experience and one that can have devastating consequences if not handled properly. In this post, we'll go over how to stop a skid so that no matter what happens on the road next time, you'll be prepared!
If your car starts sliding, slowly take your foot off of the accelerator and avoid slamming on the brakes. If you've got antilock brakes, try to use them only if they're necessary—for instance if there's a lot of ice on the road or you're driving at high speeds in bad weather. It's usually best to just slow down gradually until you regain traction.
Here are the steps to follow when your car begins to slide or skid:
Apply the brakes. If you're in a vehicle with anti-lock brakes (which every car made since 1990 has), press firmly as hard as possible. If your car doesn't have ABS, pump the brakes repeatedly—and don't let go of them until you've slowed down considerably.
Steer into the skid. Try turning your wheel away from the side of your vehicle that's sliding toward it; this will help keep it straight and prevent further spinning out of control. You can also apply gentle pressure to each pedal so that they move together equally when applying braking power, which will help stabilize things in a hurry if they start to move too much while braking alone could make things worse very quickly!
You can also steer in a straight line while skidding by turning in the direction that feels like it will correct for any sliding motion; for example, turn into an icy patch if your rear wheels are slipping out from under you (this will send more traction to those front tires). In general, though, if you don't have experience with this, steering during a slide is not advisable—it might only make things worse!
With winter weather quickly approaching here in Connecticut, this is a great time to remember that your brakes are not as strong in wet or icy conditions. You should try to avoid braking suddenly, as this can cause you to slide instead of stopping. If you do need to stop quickly, approach it slowly and gradually apply more pressure until the vehicle comes to a halt. Before you head out on the roads this winter it's a good idea to have your tires checked for proper pressure, alignment, and wear. Brakes should also be performing optimally if you want the best stopping results!
Remember these tips and practice them when driving on slippery roads or snowy surfaces!
Please click anywhere to continue browsing our site.