For even the most experienced driver, your car skidding out of control on ice can be extremely terrifying and people often panic and forget how to deal with this kind of situation. But anyone who has driven on ice or snow will have experienced some kind of unpredictable skid. When something like this happens, a thousand negative thoughts and outcomes can rush through your head at once, but an accident can easily be avoided by following the steps below.
- Step one. When you first realize that you back tires are free and are not gripping the ground at all, you should immediately take your foot off the gas pedal before you to anything else. Your car will start to slow and sometimes, for minor skids, will be the only thing you need to get back in control of your car.
- Step two. The next step is not to panic, although this may appear hard to do. It is important that you don't over react as you slowly turn your steering wheel in the direction that the back end of your car is going towards. For example, if the back of your car is moving towards the right, then you should steer your car to the right.
- Step three. Be very careful not to over compensate the steering or you may find yourself skidding in the opposite direction. But, if your car does begin to skid the other way, then simply turn your car into that direction again.
- Step four. When you are trying to control the skid, you may find that the back of your car fishtails between the right and the left several times. If this happens then just stay calm and carry on steering in the direction of the skid until your car has straightened.
- Step five. If you need to, you should stop your car once you have regained control, and then make sure you are calm before driving again. If you think you may have hit something like another vehicle or post then you should get out of your car and check for damage.