What should you do if your vehicle starts to skid?

When your vehicle begins to skid, the proper response is to steer in the direction of the skid. This technique helps to regain control of the vehicle. When you notice your rear wheels sliding, turning the steering wheel in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go allows the front tires to regain traction and aligns the vehicle with the road.

This response is critical because skidding often results from a loss of tire traction due to factors like wet or icy roads. By steering into the skid, you counteract the forces causing the skid and can recover from it more smoothly.

Other methods, such as applying the brakes firmly or turning the steering wheel sharply in the opposite direction, can exacerbate the situation. Braking hard can lead to a complete loss of control, especially if the road is slick. Similarly, a sharp turn can cause oversteering, leading to more skidding or even flipping the vehicle if it's severe enough. Accelerating in a skid would also worsen the loss of control rather than help to stabilize the vehicle.