Preventing Skids |
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A skid is the loss of tire traction. It may be caused by inappropriate use of steering brakes or accelerator. |
What Causes the Skid |
A skid is usually caused by the driver's failure to react in good time and by driving too fast for road conditions, any sudden steering, braking or accelerating action is dangerous on a slippery surface |
Time to React |
Give yourself time to react Look ahead and read the road conditions. |
Road Conditions |
Because someone else is foolish enough to drive fast, there's no reason for you to be misled into thinking the road conditions are safe.
If you have a car with manual transmission, shift gears before you reach the upgrade of a slippery hill. Shifting half way up may cause the wheels to spin. |
Handling Skids |
The best way to learn to handle skids and other emergency driving techniques is under controlled conditions with a qualified instructor. Courses may be available in your area. |
But here are some basic rules that every driver should know. |
When your vehicle starts to skid: |
- Release the brake;
- Take your foot off the pedal;
- Depress the clutch pedal or shift to neutral quickly.
- Look where you want to go and steer where you want to go.
- If you can't recover steering control, and the car starts to rotate, hit the brakes as hard as you can and stay on them. It will continue to rotate but in one direction only and others will stand a better change of avoiding you. You should keep your foot hard on the brake until the car stop
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