If your rear wheels skid…
- Take your foot off the accelerator.
- Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they’re sliding right, steer right.
- If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
- If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
- If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.
If your front wheels skid…
- Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don’t try to steer immediately.
- As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in “drive” or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.
If you get stuck…
- Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.
- Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.
- Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.
- Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.
- Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.
- Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner’s manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you’re in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.
Winter weather can impact the ability of drivers to see the roadways,
traction and even a vehicle’s stability, making proper care and
preparation a good way to safeguard oneself and loved ones from ensuing
accidents or auto failures.
One of the most important aspects of auto safety is auto insurance. But
while it’s imperative to compare insurance quotes, it can also be vital
to compare the services offered and other important details, such as
deductibles.
In addition to checking your insurance coverage and seeking quotes from
quality companies, prepping a vehicle is equally important to ensuring
it is ready for the harsh conditions associated with winter weather.
Checking out a vehicle’s equipment is imperative for drivers to make
sure everything is working properly and nothing needs updating or
replacement. Taking a vehicle to a mechanic is a great way to check
equipment out and uncover what is working properly and what equipment
might be aggravated by the hardness of cooler temperature and rougher
roadways. Car owners should have a mechanic check out the battery,
lights, antifreeze levels, brakes, wiper blades and heater.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 24 percent of all
traffic accidents are weather-related, making preparation for inclement
weather an important part of accident prevention.
While having a properly running vehicle is a great way to prevent
break-downs and accidents, having access to items that can make such
situations more comfortable is also a good way to protect oneself.
Keeping an emergency supply can bail out drivers who get stuck in snow
or amongst road hazards or endure a mechanical problem that leaves them
stranded. Some important items to keep stocked in a truck or beneath a
seat include; water, non-perishable food items, tire repair kits, phone
charger, flares and even a method of jumping a battery, such as a
portable charger. Such items can come in very handy in a variety of
situations, especially those where a driver and passengers become
stranded on a roadway or experience mechanical problems with a vehicle
during cold weather situations.
On the other hand, knowing what to do during a weather-related
situation may be as valuable as what vehicle owners keep packed in a
car or truck. Slippery roadways can sometimes provoke drivers to lose
control of a vehicle. Scared or surprised, many drivers’ first reaction
is to regain control, which can sometimes lead to a rollover accident
or cause a vehicle to slide off the roadway and into nearby trees or
other debris.
Instead of overcorrecting a vehicle, taking one’s foot of the gas and
slowly applying the brakes while gently steering the vehicle to the
side and out of harm’s way can be a lifesaving action that is good to
understand before that situation ever arises.
