There’s nothing scarier than when your car starts to skid on a slippery road. In that moment, panic can easily lead to the wrong reactions, potentially resulting in an accident.
So, what should you do when your car skids on wet or winter roads?
Don’t worry!
Our comprehensive guide covers everything experienced and young drivers need to know, including what happens when your car skids, what causes it, and how to respond. We’ll also share six effective tips to help you stay safe on slippery roads.
Let’s begin!
This Article Contains:
- What Happens When Your Car Starts to Skid on a Slippery Road?
- What Causes Your Car to Skid on a Slippery Road?
- What to Do When Your Car Starts to Skid on a Slippery Surface
- How to Prevent Your Car from Skidding on a Slippery Road Condition
What Happens When Your Car Starts to Skid on a Slippery Road?
When your car starts to skid on a slippery road, it means the front or rear tires have lost traction. This causes your car to slide across the road surface instead of rolling smoothly. Depending on the situation, your car can skid in three ways:
- Front-wheel skid: The front wheels lose traction, so your car continues straight ahead even though you’ve turned the steering wheel. This type of skid is most common in front-wheel drive cars.
- Rear-wheel skid: The vehicle’s rear wheels lose traction, and the back end starts to slide left or right, also known as fishtailing.
- All-wheel skid: All four wheels lose traction, causing your car to slide across the road surface.
A front-wheel, rear-wheel, or all-wheel skid can catch experienced and young drivers off guard. The key to anticipating or reacting appropriately to a potential skidding accident is knowing the causes.
What Causes Your Car to Skid on a Slippery Road?
Here are a few reasons why your vehicle skids:
1. Worn-Out Tire Tread
The most common reason for motor vehicle skids in slippery road conditions is a lack of tire tread. Low tread reduces your vehicle’s ability to grip the road when turning or braking, increasing the likelihood of your car skidding.
2. Bad Weather or Poor Road Conditions
Even with good tire tread, loose gravel or winter roads can cause your car to skid into crosswalks and sidewalks, potentially resulting in a pedestrian accident. Snow reduces the traction by creating a slippery layer between the tires and the road, while loose gravel shifts and disrupts the tire’s contact with the road surface.
3. Hydroplaning or Aquaplaning
When water on the road exceeds your tires’ ability to push it away, a thin film of water forms between the tires and the road. In such situations, your tires ride on top of the water like a boat, increasing the chances of a car accident. This condition is known as hydroplaning or aquaplaning.
4. Overbraking
Whether it’s wet weather or winter driving, you should always brake gently to bring a car to a slow stop. Hitting the brake pedal too hard and abruptly can lock the wheels (unless you have anti-lock brakes), increasing the chances of your car skidding.
However, anti-lock brakes can’t fully prevent skidding on slippery roads like an ice-covered or wet road.
5. Over-Accelerating
Like overbraking, driving too fast or over the speed limit can also cause a front, rear, or all-wheel skid and potentially result in an accident. For instance, the rear tires may lose traction if you over-accelerate while turning, especially in a rear-wheel drive vehicle.
This can cause the vehicle’s rear end to spin out of control — a situation known as oversteer.
6. Sharp Steering
It’s always best to turn and maneuver a car slowly. Sharp turns put excessive force on the vehicle’s tires, leading to a loss of control and a car skid, especially in wet or slippery conditions. In such cases, a car or truck accident can happen instantly.
While certain vehicle skids are unavoidable, it’s always a good idea to know what to do if you experience such a situation.
What to Do When Your Car Starts to Skid on a Slippery Surface
Follow these guidelines to regain control of your vehicle and avoid a car accident:
1. Take Your Foot Off the Accelerator and Brake Pedal
When you notice your car beginning to slide, the first thing to do is to lift your foot off the accelerator and brake pedal. This will help your car’s tires regain traction on the road.
Avoid slamming the brakes, as it can cause skid accidents. Once you feel the car slowing down and starting to come out of the skid, gently push the brake pedal to come to a complete stop.
2. Turn Into the Skid
If your vehicle begins to skid, steer toward the skid to help realign your vehicle with the road and regain control of your car. For example, you must turn the steering wheel to the left if your car is skidding to the left.
3. Don’t Jerk the Steering Wheel
It’s important to remain calm when your vehicle starts to skid and slide. Avoid sudden movements as you risk losing vehicle control and fishtailing. Instead, gently point the car in the direction of the skid (explained above).
Now that you know how to recover from a skid, let’s focus on the steps you can take to keep your car from skidding in the first place.
How to Prevent Your Car from Skidding on a Slippery Road Condition
Here are ten expert tips to protect yourself from skidding on slippery winter roads:
- Ensure your car’s tires have adequate tread depth. Most tires have a ‘wear bar’ in the treads, indicating when to replace them.
- Follow safe driving practices on wet roads or during winter conditions.
- Keep a safe distance from the cars around you in traffic. This gives you enough time to slow down without slamming on the brakes.
- Slow down and gently brake when entering a curve. Turning too quickly or braking too hard can lead to a skid.
- Steer clear of driving through standing water to avoid hydroplaning.
- Refrain from using cruise control in adverse weather conditions to maintain full vehicle control.
- Equip your car with wet weather or winter tires to improve traction on slick surfaces.
- Consider using snow chains or socks for extra grip on an icy road. Check local laws, as they might be restricted in some areas.
- Check the weather before you head out. If the weather or road conditions are too severe, only drive if necessary.
- Stay focused, especially on a wet or icy road, and avoid distracted driving that could impair your reaction time.
Skid-Proof Your Car with AutoNation Mobile Service
If you notice your car starting to skid, immediately take your foot away from the gas pedal, steer into the slide, and avoid sudden movements. To help prevent skid accidents, follow our safe driving tips, such as using appropriate tires, ensuring they have adequate tread, and avoiding distracted driving in slippery conditions.
If you need to prepare your car for slick roads or need assistance after a skid, AutoNation Mobile Service is here to help. Our expert technicians are available 7 days a week, and we offer a 12-month, 12,000-mile warranty on all repairs.
Contact us today for all your motor vehicle repair and maintenance needs.