What is the recommended way to recover from a skid?

• A. Steer in the direction you want to go, avoid overcorrecting, and brake only if not using ABS.
• B. Brake hard to stop the vehicle.
• C. Steer opposite the skid and apply the brakes.
• D. Accelerate to regain traction.

Answer: (A)

When a skid happens, the goal is to regain control by guiding the car with steady steering toward the direction you want to go and avoiding sudden, drastic corrections. Steering toward where you want to travel helps tires reestablish traction as the brakes and throttle are managed smoothly. Avoid overcorrecting because snapping the wheel the other way can cause the car to fishtail or spin. Braking is part of the recovery, but how you do it depends on your braking system: if your car doesn’t have ABS, use light, controlled braking to avoid locking the wheels; if your car has ABS, you can brake firmly while continuing to steer. Other choices push you deeper into the skid: steering opposite the skid, braking hard, or accelerating all make it harder to regain traction.