When you are driving and feel out of control all of a sudden, such as when driving on an icy road, it can be something that is very scary. Naturally, most of our instincts will be to brake and to steer in the opposite direction of where the car is heading. These things can unfortunately make the skidding even worse. If you’re looking for the tips and tricks to prevent your car skidding and so you know exactly what to do and how to handle a skid, then read on.
What is a Car Skid?
A car skid occurs usually in bad weather conditions, such as ice, snow, and rain, but ultimately, it is when there isn’t enough, or any, friction between the road and the tire. A car skidding can also occur when you brake suddenly, or turn the car at a high speed. That is why care needs to be taken at all times when driving, especially when driving at high speeds and in hazardous weather conditions.
Tips to Prevent a Car Skid
- Check Your Tire Tread: One of the first things to do to prevent a car skid is to regularly check on the tread of your tires. In the majority of states, there is a minimum tire tread depth of 2/32 of an inch (about 1.6 mm), so that is something to consider and check on a regular basis as it can help to provide more friction with the road.
- Drive Slowly: When the weather conditions are icy, snowing, or there is a lot of groundwater, it is important to drive slowly.
- Keep a Safe Distance: You should always be driving with a safe distance between you and the car in front of you. By doing this, you will be giving yourself plenty of space to react and brake if the car in front skids. Braking too suddenly could cause you to skid.
- Take Turns, Slowly: When you are going around a corner or taking a bend, make sure that you slow the speed of your car down. When you take a corner too quickly, then it can lead to your car skidding, especially if you try to brake suddenly.
How to Recover and Handle a Car Skid
First of all, when learning how to recover from a skid, it is important not to panic, even though it may be a natural reaction. By keeping a clear head, you will be able to focus on the right things to do, rather than just wanting to put on the brakes and make the skid worse. Instead of turning the steering wheel to move the car away from the direction it is headed, it is best practice to steer into the skid.
The next thing that is important to remember is that you should focus on a target on the horizon, that is a little further down the road. With this in view and used as a focus, you will be better able to move your car so that you are then able to get back driving in the right direction as soon as it is possible.
