A skid occurs when you apply the brakes so hard that one or more wheels lock, or if you press hard on the accelerator and spin the drive wheels. Skids also occur when you are traveling too fast on a curve and encounter a slippery surface. Skids fall into three groups: rear-wheel skids, front-wheel skids and four-wheel skids. Regardless of the type of skid you encounter, to regain control of your vehicle, DO NOT PANIC!

REAR-WHEEL SKIDS

The most effective way to get your vehicle back under control during a skid is as follows:

1. Take your foot off the brake if the rear wheels skid due to hard or panic braking. Ease off the accelerator if the rear wheels lose traction due to hard acceleration.

2. De-clutch on a car with a manual transmission or shift to neutral (if you are certain of finding neutral immediately) on a car with automatic transmission.

3. Look and steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go.

4. Just before the rear wheels stop skidding to the right or left, counter-steer until you are going in the desired direction.

5. In a rear-wheel drive vehicle, if you over-correct the first skid (Step 4), be prepared for a rear-wheel skid in the opposite direction. Practice and the use of timely, gentle movement of the steering wheel are necessary to avoid this type of skid.

6. Once the vehicle is straight, release the clutch or shift to drive, apply gentle accelerator pressure so that the engine speed matches the road speed, and accelerate smoothly to a safe speed.

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