Skidding: Here’s What To Do If Your Car Loses Its Grip
All sorts of things can cause a car to end up skidding, but the risks are greater over the winter. Here’s what to do if your car loses its grip…
How to Avoid Skidding
It’s better to avoid skidding than having to deal with it. In which case, knowing how it happens and what the risk factors are can be indispensable. In essence, a skid is caused by your vehicle’s wheels temporarily losing traction; causing it to lose control and to swerve violently. Not only can this be a terrifying experience for drivers, it’s also extremely dangerous.
Generally, skidding is a product of accelerating mid-turn, excessive braking (which causes wheels to lock up) and over-steering. Turning too quickly, in the middle of a manoeuvre, can easily cause a vehicle to lose control. Which is why it’s important to move the steering wheel smoothly and to reduce your speed when approaching a junction or roundabout.
Naturally, weather conditions can pose a major skidding risk; especially during the winter. Excessive rain can cause aquaplaning, causing your car’s wheels to actually rise above the road surface. Snow and ice can also adversely affect grip. In these conditions, it’s important to reduce your speed, maintain good visibility and to keep a good distance away from other vehicles – due to increased stopping distances. Finally, make sure your tyres have the right air pressures and a good amount of tread depth.
What to do if it Happens
No matter how cautious a driver is, skidding is always a possibility. In which case, it’s important to know what to do should the worst happen. First of all, don’t panic – whilst it’s difficult, it’s crucial that you remain alert and focussed. You should also keep your eyes facing forward, at the furthest point of the road ahead. This is because you need a reference point in terms of the direction you’ll be travelling, not to mention you want to be able to see potential obstacles.
If you’re experiencing a front-wheel skid, the entire car will move in the wrong direction. It’s almost always a product of entering a curve or turn too quickly. You’ll want to gently ease off of the accelerator. You should steer in the direction your car is travelling. Resist the urge to suddenly brake, as this can mean losing complete control of the car.
A rear-wheel skid typically occurs when the rear of the vehicle slides, aggressively, to the right or left. When this happens, you want to turn your steering wheel gently in order to straighten your vehicle. Focussing on a particular target may help stop you from over-steering. As your vehicle turns, gently ease off of the accelerator and resist the urge to brake.
Free Parking In Newcastle Scrapped To Discourage Car Use – https://autoserveclub.co.uk/blog/free-parking-in-newcastle-scrapped-to-discourage-car-use/
Budget 2021: Everything Drivers Need To Know – https://autoserve.co.uk/motoring-news/budget-2021-everything-drivers-need-to-know/
