What to do if my car goes into a skid?

Hootie19

I've always worked on the premis that if the car goes into a skid, then you should steer into it.

However, speaking to some friends the other day, they told that this advice is only good for rear wheel drive cars, and that as mine is front wheel drive, I should "power out" of the skid.

Are they right, or should I still be working on the "steer into it" method. (Not that it worked - a few years ago, my car went into a skid, and while my logic was screaming "steer into it", my reaction was quite the opposite and I did it all wrong!)

Pete*G_4

so let me get this straight, if you get into a skid in a FWD car, you think you should apply MORE power?!! my god there seriously are some muppets out there.

What you should do will depend entirely on the nature of the skid. if your back end "steps out" and causes you to oversteer at a corner, or to spin, then you should steer into it. If your car continues straight (i.e. understeers) when trying to make a turn then you can't do much other than try to continue steering, hope your ABS works, and if possible then try cadescent braking, i.e. on & off the brakes continually. Use your gears to slow your speed as well.

Try googling "skid control techniques" - it's much easier than posting on a consume rights forum

Paradigm

Basically don't touch any pedals, braking or accelerating will only make things worse..... leave the pedals alone! Trying to "power out" of a skid & steer with fwd gives the tyres too much to do.

Concentrate on gently trying to steer back on track, hopefully you will be driving at a speed appropriate to the conditions & the tyres will find grip.

If the rear end slides then, yes, you steer into it..... even with fwd.

Avoiding the skid in the 1st place is a better route

Hootie19

Pete*G wrote: »

so let me get this straight, if you get into a skid in a FWD car, you think you should apply MORE power?!! my god there seriously are some muppets out there.

No - *I* don't. This is what some people told me the other day. I didn't think it sounded right, which is why I asked for clarification

Pete*G wrote: »

Try googling "skid control techniques" - it's much easier than posting on a consume rights forum

A consumer rights forum with a "Motoring, Public Transport and Cycling forum". Surely avoiding a skid/accident would be classed as potentially money saving on the grounds that I'd not be paying out to have damage repaired and increased insurance premiums.

casper_g

In a skid, you won't be stepping on the accelerator anyway, so I don't see why FWD vs RWD would make any difference!

Inactive

Paradigm wrote: »

Avoiding the skid in the 1st place is a better route

Spot on...

Hootie19

Paradigm wrote: »

Basically don't touch any pedals, braking or accelerating will only make things worse..... leave the pedals alone! Trying to "power out" of a skid & steer with fwd gives the tyres too much to do.

Concentrate on gently trying to steer back on track, hopefully you will be driving at a speed appropriate to the conditions & the tyres will find grip.

If the rear end slides then, yes, you steer into it..... even with fwd.

Avoiding the skid in the 1st place is a better route

Thank you Paradigm. Is this advice also "good" for an automatic car? I felt pretty confident in the snow when I had a manual car - setting off in a higher gear, using the gears to slow the car rather than brakes etc - but I'm not so confident with the automatic.

Pete*G_4

user the overdrive feature in an automatic to manually change up to pull away with more control, or to change down to bring your speed down

Paradigm

casper_g wrote: »

In a skid, you won't be stepping on the accelerator anyway, so I don't see why FWD vs RWD would make any difference!

Yep, not many people in a skid would think "ooh I must accelerate"

Sadly the 1st instinct for most drivers is to hit the brakes, locking the wheels & leaving them with no control whatsoever.

Inactive

Hootie19 wrote: »

Thank you Paradigm. Is this advice also "good" for an automatic car? I felt pretty confident in the snow when I had a manual car - setting off in a higher gear, using the gears to slow the car rather than brakes etc - but I'm not so confident with the automatic.

I drive both manual and automatic cars, they are equally as good or bad as each other in snow/ice, depending how they are driven.

Paradigm

Hootie19 wrote: »

Thank you Paradigm. Is this advice also "good" for an automatic car? I felt pretty confident in the snow when I had a manual car - setting off in a higher gear, using the gears to slow the car rather than brakes etc - but I'm not so confident with the automatic.

Starting off & skidding are 2 different things.

Modern autos will have a "winter" button, maybe with a snowflake icon on it & causes the car to start off in 2nd or even 3rd to avoid wheelspin.

Once in a skid the principles are the same... concentrate on the steering.

It's far better to avoid skidding in the 1st place by driving as slowly as needed to maintain control & give more time to react, do everything gently.

If you are descending a hill slow right down before you reach it & select a low gear to use engine braking.... it's a lot easier to keep slow than to slow down from too fast.