How To Regain Control Of a Vehicle in a Skid

to regain control of a vehicle in a skid

No one ever expects their car to start skidding on the road, but it can happen to even the most experienced drivers. When your car starts to skid, it feels like you have no control over it whatsoever. In this blog post, we will discuss what causes a vehicle to skid out of control and what you can do to regain control. We will also talk about how to prevent a skid from happening in the first place!

What is “Skidding” In A Car?

When your car starts skidding out of control, it feels like you’re in a nightmare. You feel like you’re losing all control of the vehicle and that you might actually die. Sometimes it feels like the only thing you can do is brace yourself for impact and hope for the best.

Skidding out of control in a car can be one of the most dangerous things that can happen to you on the road. When your car skids, it means that your tires have lost traction with the ground and you are no longer able to steer or brake effectively. This can often lead to crashes, and even serious injuries or fatalities.

There are a number of reasons a person might find themselves in this situation which we will go into detail on below

to regain control of a vehicle in a skid

How Might A Car End Up In A Skid?

A car might skid out of control when driving on the road for many reasons. Five reasons why this might happen are:

The driver is going too fast for conditions

If it is raining or has just rained, the roads will be slick and there will be a film of water on the pavement. The driver needs to slow down to allow for decreased traction. Speeding in these conditions increases the chances of hydroplaning, which is when the tires lose contact with the road and ride on top of water. This can cause loss of steering and braking power and send the car careening off the road.

Tire blows out

When a tire blows out, it causes the car to suddenly lose traction and stability. The driver might not be able to control the car as it swerves back and forth until it finally comes to a stop.

Driver hits a patch of ice on the road

Ice can form on the roads overnight or after a snowstorm when temperatures drop below freezing. It is hard for drivers to see ice patches, so they need to drive slowly and use caution when driving in winter weather.

Object Hits One Of the Tires

If one of the wheels of the cars hits off an object such as a curb or large rock, that can cause the car to spin out of control. If one of the wheels loses contact with the ground, it can cause the car to spin around.

Driver is inexperienced

If a driver is inexperienced or not familiar with how to handle a skid, that can also lead to the car losing control on the road. Drivers need to know how to regain control of their car if it starts skidding and take action quickly before the situation gets worse.

how to control a skidding car

Now that you know how a car might end up in a skid , lets look at what you should do if this happens to you on the road.

How To Regain Control Of a Vehicle In a Skid

The first thing you need to do is stay calm. If you panic, you will make the situation worse. Second, check your surroundings and make sure there are no obstacles in the way that you could hit if you skid off the road. Once you have done these two things, it is time to take action.

If your car starts to skid on a wet road, take your foot off the accelerator and let the car slow down gradually. Do not brake suddenly as this will cause the wheels to lock up and make the skid worse. Steer in the direction you want the car to go in and gently apply pressure to the brakes once the car has slowed down enough.

If your car starts to skid on a icy road, do not brake or turn the steering wheel suddenly. This will make the skid worse. Instead, gently take your foot off the accelerator and turn the steering wheel in the direction you want the car to go. Once you have done this, apply pressure to the brakes gently.

Remember, if you stay calm and take action gradually, you will be able to regain control of your car and avoid an accident.

vehicle in a skid

Tips On How To Avoid Skids

Now that we know how to regain control of a vehicle if it does lose control, what are some driving tips you can use to ensure that this doesn’t happen in the first place?

Always be aware of the road conditions and adjust your driving style to match. If it is icy, slow down and use a higher gear to avoid wheel spin.

When braking, do so gently and in a progressive manner. Slamming on the brakes will only cause you to lose control of the car.

Keep both hands on the wheel at all times. This will help you maintain better control of the car if you need to make any sudden manoeuvres.

Make sure your tyres are properly inflated and in good condition. Worn-out tyres can lead to skidding, especially on wet or icy roads.