Skidding: what to do if you skid

No-one wants to skid, because skidding is a hazard that can lead to potential damage for you and other road users; in other words it is a dangerous situation to be in.

However sometimes it seems that even as a careful driver and taking all the necessary precautions, road conditions and bad luck can lead to you skidding. If this happens to you, then what should you do?

The most important thing to do is to stay calm under pressure. Although it is hard to act rationally, do not panic because that can make situations worse.

What you need to do is to take your feet off the pedals even although you will naturally be wanting to press hard on something like the brake, but actually even if it seems counterintuitive you should not use the pedals when skidding.

If the brakes locked and that caused the skid, then as mentioned above take pressure off the brake and then steer INTO the skid. Sometimes skidding can be caused by accelerating too harshly and again in those conditions you should take your foot off the gas pedal in order to remove the problem that caused the skid.

By acting calmly and quickly and remembering to take your feet off the pedals and steer into the skid if one occurs, then you give yourself the best chance of regaining control of the vehicle and avoiding an accident.

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