Whoa.

Turn your wheel in the direction you want to go when in a skid I don't think so. I come from a different driving school on that one.

Once you are in a skid, you've got precious little control over the car. The last thing you want is for your rear to break away and take over directional orientation. Usually, you need to turn your wheel into the direction of the skid so that your front end stays in front. If you just point your wheels in the direction you want to go while in a skid, you're more likely to end up spinning around like a top. NOT a very good thing when driving.

that's why you should get cars with ABS and traction control. By the way i was always taught to turn into the skid too.

This is causing quite an argument in my office at the moment. I was always taught to turn my front in the direction which the back is pointing. This advice has worked for me many many times.

Most of my colleagues agree....but a couple say that you should steer in the direction that the front is skidding. ie. so if you're going straight and start skidding right you should steer right. But surely you'll end up facing in the wrong direction if you do that right?

Anyone know the definitive truth on this? Not just "there way", I want definitive driving school proof on this

Either way, covering your eyes and screaming certainly won't solve the problem

You point your wheels into the direction of the skid.

Try this.


Edited by - Indy11 on 1/29/2004 8:47:57 AM

Last night I had a 1/2 hours worth of snow, a huge hailstorm, a power cut for 5 hours and still only an inch of snow. My school was still one of three in Reading that didnt close

Uncle Taw passed his driving test in 1982 at the Royal Navy training depot where he was stationed at the time and was taught by very advanced and experienced instructors and they always hammered home "turn into the skid" whether it be snow, ice or any other slippery surface.

Thankyou uncle taw, thats the expertise I was looking for

I shall be trying this on the roads tonight....hooohaw....

That's what it means you crazy fools! they all say the same thing but that first one is a bit ambiguous, it assumes you are going straight and want to continue going straight... quite how you manage to swing the back out while going straight is beyond me... unless you brake I suppose...

If you go into a skid and start turning, you don't want to be going that way do you! So you turn in the direction you want to go, i.e. into the skid...

My gap year in Borneo

ok now I'm really confused....will people stop saying "turn into the skid" it appears that some people think that means you turn with the skid and others think it means turn against the skid....if you're going straight and your front skids right, do you

a) steer right

or

b) steer left

C'MON PEOPLE I DEMAND ANSWERS! :p

If you are going straight and you start skidding right, I believe what has happened is that your rear end broke loose* and has started to swing out on your right side. This being the case, I would (of course take my foot off the gas) turn my wheels to the right so that my front will travel in the same direction as the back of the car.

*this can happen if you're in a rear wheel drive vehicle and the drive wheels have lost traction and are just spinning.

Hey. This raises a point I didn't think of. In a front wheel drive vehicle, you both pull and steer from the front. The likelihood that your back end will break loose is less than with a rear wheel drive car. Even so, I would say the same rule applies IF you're skidding and the rear wheels are sliding out.

Edited by - Indy11 on 1/29/2004 10:58:23 AM

Y'see, when its this icy, I just walk along to this really steep hill bit near where I live and watch all the parents driving their kids to the school neaby in their 4x4s. They get most of the way up the hill, only to lose control on the final steepest bit. They just lock their brakes and skid back down crashing into parked cars and other parents doing the school run. I can just stand at the top and watch and laugh

OK. Found more complete stuff.


Click here what I found which tends to support those who think you are supposed to steer the car in the direction you want to go (in the event of a rear-wheel skid).

It turns out that what is recommended differs between front and rear wheel skids with all wheel skids having pretty much the same recommendations as front wheel skids.

But the rear-wheel skid scenario is one that depends on the little caution at #5 IF you are in a rear-wheel drive vehicle. Apparently though, with a front drive vehicle, as long as the front wheels have traction, the intention appears to be to pull the rear of the car out of a skid.:

>>>>>REAR-WHEEL SKIDS

The most effective way to get your vehicle back under control during a skid is as follows:

1. Take your foot off the brake if the rear wheels skid due to hard or panic braking. Ease off the accelerator if the rear wheels lose traction due to hard acceleration.

2. De-clutch on a car with a manual transmission or shift to neutral (if you are certain of finding neutral immediately) on a car with automatic transmission.

3. Look and steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go.

4. Just before the rear wheels stop skidding to the right or left, counter-steer until you are going in the desired direction.

5. In a rear-wheel drive vehicle, if you over-correct the first skid (Step 4), be prepared for a rear-wheel skid in the opposite direction. Practice and the use of timely, gentle movement of the steering wheel are necessary to avoid this type of skid.

>>>>>FRONT WHEEL SKIDS

Front-wheel skids are caused by hard braking or accelerating. When the front wheels lose traction, you will not be able to steer the vehicle. Sometimes front-wheel skids are perceived as more dangerous because they are experienced less often. In actuality, front-wheel skids are easier to correct and less hazardous because there is no risk of the car skidding in the opposite direction. Regardless of whether the vehicle has front-, rear- or four-wheel drive, the best way to regain control if the front wheels skid is:

1. Take your foot off the brake if the front wheels skid due to hard or panic braking. Ease your foot off the accelerator if the front wheels lose traction due to hard acceleration.

2. De-clutch on a car with manual transmission, or shift to neutral (if you are certain of finding neutral immediately) on a car with automatic transmission.

3. If the front wheels have been turned prior to the loss of traction, don't move the steering wheel. Since the wheels are skidding sideways, a certain amount of braking force will be exerted. (Unwinding the steering wheel will reduce the steering angle and result in regaining steering sooner; however, the vehicle will be traveling faster because there is little sideways braking force. This technique should only be attempted in situations where limited space and sharp curves exist.)

4. Wait for the front wheels to grip the road again. As soon as traction returns the vehicle will start to steer again.

5. When the front wheels have regained their grip, steer the wheels gently in the desired direction of travel.

6. Release the clutch or shift to drive and apply gentle accelerator pressure so that the engine speed matches the road speed, and accelerate smoothly to a safe speed.

There is no risk at all of the car skidding in the opposite direction.

>>>>>FOUR-WHEEL SKIDS

Sometimes all four wheels lose traction. This generally occurs when the vehicle is driven at a speed too fast for conditions. Here are three situations that often result in four-wheel skids: 1) you enter a curve that is wet or covered with ice, snow, sand, gravel or wet leaves; 2) you are driving down the road and cross a bridge covered with invisible ice, commonly referred to as "black ice"; 3) you are driving on a slippery straight road and apply the brakes too hard (generally in this situation the rear wheels will lock or skid a second or two before the front wheels). The most effective way to get your vehicle back under control when all four wheels skid is:

1. Ease foot off the accelerator or take your foot off the brake.

2. De-clutch on a car with manual transmission or shift to neutral (if you are certain of finding neutral immediately) on a car with automatic transmission.

3. Look and steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go.

4. Wait for the wheels to grip the road again. As soon as the wheels regain traction, the vehicle will travel in the desired direction.

5. Release the clutch or shift to drive and maintain a safe speed.

Next: Winter Driving Techniques: Stopping >>

6. Once the vehicle is straight, release the clutch or shift to drive, apply gentle accelerator pressure so that the engine speed matches the road speed, and accelerate smoothly to a safe speed.