ShowMe Motoring – How To From 5 Types Of Skids
Recovering From Car Skids
There are numerous car accidents occurring on a daily basis, many of which could have been prevented. There are a few tips that they do not teach you at the driving school which could potentially save your life and prevent your from damaging your car.
Some of the most vital skills are those to avoid skidding. The feel of losing control over your car can be frightening and it is easy to panic and do the wrong thing if you don’t know what to do.
Here we outline 5 common skids that you might experience and how to safely recover from them.
Wheelspin
Wheelspin happens when you try to accelerate too quickly for the available traction. Tyres will start to spin at a faster rate than the car is actually traveling, which can lead to various outcomes depending on whether the car is a front, all, or rear-wheel drive. The cure for wheelspin is easy: just back off the petrol until the tyres regain traction on the road.
Wheel Lockup
Wheel lockup occurs when you try to brake too aggressively for the type of road surface you are on. The tyres will stop turning while the car is still moving. The solution is an easy one: release the brakes until the tyres turn again. You may need to release the brakes completely, and try braking again more softly, but repetitively.
Understeer
An understeer skid occurs when the front tires lose grip, and the vehicle cannot turn around a corner. This often happens when you enter a corner with too much speed. If you are only slightly too hot coming into a corner, the key is to let off of the petrol and gently apply the brakes, while looking where you want the car to go at all times.
Oversteer
An oversteer happens when the back tyres lose grip, and the rear of the car starts to slide sideways. This most often happens because of wheelspin in rear-wheel drives (and some all-wheel drive) cars, and the key in that case is to simply back off the gas, look where you want to go, and slightly steer in that direction.
Counterskip/ Fishtailing
The fishtailing happens when you have met with oversteer and failed to correct appropriately. The back end of the car will skid back and forth, often building momentum with each veer. If you do not fix the first or second skid, you will often generate energy to make the third skid very violent and hard to recover and regain control from.
When you encounter oversteer, the method is to look down the road and only use enough corrective steering to point the front tyres where you want to go. As the car straightens out, straighten the wheel so that the tyres are always pointed down the road.
They can be difficult to recover from, but your vision is the key. Regain control of the steering, but do not let the vehicle veer, and you will be fine.
Source: The Art Of Manliness, Illustrations by Ted Slampyak, Wyatt Knox
Extra Reading:
- How to drive off-road
- Auto Upkeep
- ShowMe Motoring – Tips When Buying A New Car
Local Service Providers:
Autohaven Hermanus
Distributors of quality pre-owned vehicles in the Hermanus, Overberg and greater Western Cape area. We buy and sell, and trade-ins are welcome!
Sterling Auto Hermanus
Sterling Auto is a General Motors South Africa dealership for Chevrolet, Opel and Isuzu vehicles. We sell, service and supply parts to our community.
Supa Quick Tyre Experts Hermanus
Committed to giving you the ultimate experience in convenience, service & expertise. With Supa Quick, you can rest assured that you’re in good hands.
Hermanus Toyota
Our service and sales department are ready to assist you with all your new car, used car, service and sales needs.
More info on the town of Hermanus |