You are driving on a freezing roadway when the rear end of your vehicle suddenly loses traction and begins sliding to the left on black ice. Arrange the following driver actions in the correct sequential order from first to last to safely recover vehicle control.
- 1Ease your foot completely off the accelerator pedal while avoiding slamming on the brakes.
- 2Turn the steering wheel smoothly in the direction of the skid (to the left).
- 3Counter-steer smoothly in the opposite direction as the vehicle begins to straighten.
- 4Progressively apply gentle pressure to the accelerator once full directional control and traction are re-established.
Answer
The correct sequence for recovering from a rear-wheel skid on black ice is: 1) Ease off the accelerator without hard braking, 2) Steer in the direction of the skid, 3) Counter-steer as the vehicle straightens, and 4) Gently re-apply accelerator pressure after full control is restored.
Recovering from a skid on black ice requires removing throttle force first to allow tires to regain grip, steering smoothly into the direction of the slide to realign the vehicle, counter-steering to prevent fishtailing, and only accelerating once vehicle momentum and traction are fully stabilized.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Rear-Wheel Skid Recovery on Ice