How to Handle Skidding?
2 Answers
When a car skids, the first step is to firmly hold the steering wheel, reduce the throttle as necessary, and quickly determine the nature of the skid, such as whether it is front-wheel or rear-wheel skidding. If the skid is caused by braking: Immediately release the brake. If the speed is not very high, based on experience, you can decisively depress the clutch and cautiously use "pump braking" to achieve the goal of deceleration. When skidding occurs while turning the steering wheel: This is usually related to the driver making abrupt steering movements or driving at a high speed. In such cases, the skid often manifests as "rear-wheel bilateral skidding," which is more dangerous and harder to handle. Apart from road and vehicle conditions, it depends on the driver's emergency response skills and experience. The handling procedure is as follows: firmly hold the steering wheel, gradually reduce the throttle (do not brake or shift gears), immediately steer in the direction of the skid to reduce the skidding force and prevent the vehicle from continuing to slide toward the roadside; then, depending on the situation, adjust the steering to gradually eliminate the skid and resume normal driving.
I remember last winter when my car suddenly skidded while crossing a bridge, it gave me a scare but I didn’t panic. I immediately released the accelerator to let the car slow down, avoiding pressing the gas pedal. Then, I gently turned the steering wheel to adjust the direction, avoiding sudden turns to prevent fishtailing. If the wheels skid and the direction becomes unclear, make small corrections in the opposite direction of the skid. For braking, gently tap the brakes instead of slamming them. After a skid, it’s best to stop and check the tires—low pressure or severe wear can easily cause problems. When driving in the rain, slow down and maintain a safe distance, focusing on prevention. Since then, I’ve made it a habit to regularly maintain my tires, ensuring the tread depth is safe to reduce accidents. Only when I arrived home safely did my mood finally settle.
