Practice question

What should a driver do if their vehicle starts to skid?

  1. Brake immediately
  2. Steer in the direction of the skid
  3. Turn the steering wheel rapidly
  4. Accelerate through the skid

Answer: B — Steer in the direction of the skid

When a vehicle starts to skid, the appropriate action is to steer in the direction of the skid. This technique helps regain control of the vehicle. For example, if the rear of the vehicle starts to slide to the right, the driver should steer to the right. This action aligns the front wheels with the direction of the skid, allowing the tires to regain traction and helping the vehicle to stabilize. Key to remember is that braking immediately can exacerbate the skid, as it might further lock the wheels and reduce the driver's control. Rapidly turning the steering wheel can make the situation worse by causing over-correction, which can lead to a loss of control. Accelerating through the skid is also not advisable, as it can worsen the skid and make it more difficult to regain control of the vehicle. Thus, steering into the direction of the skid is the best practice to correct and recover from a skidding situation.

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