Virginia Driver Education And Traffic Safety (VADETS) Practice Test

When a car starts to skid, turning into the skid is the correct action to take because it helps you regain control of the vehicle. When your car begins to lose traction and you feel it sliding, the rear wheels are typically the ones losing grip. By steering in the direction you want the front of the car to go (which is essentially turning into the skid), you align the front wheels with the slip angle of the vehicle. This can help realign the tires with the road and facilitate regaining traction. Taking your foot off the brake helps reduce skidding, but it is not sufficient alone to control the vehicle. Similarly, braking while turning can exacerbate the skid since applying the brakes can further destabilize the vehicle. Accelerating out of a skid might seem counterintuitive, as it can worsen the loss of control by increasing speed without sufficient traction. Thus, turning into the skid remains the most effective maneuver to regain control during such a situation.