While driving downhill on a slush-covered roadway, an abrupt downshift causes the rear tires of your rear-wheel-drive vehicle to lose traction and slide toward the left side of the road. What is the safest and most effective initial sequence of actions to regain vehicle control?
- APress the brake pedal firmly while turning the steering wheel sharply to the right.
- Ease off the accelerator pedal smoothly and steer in the direction the rear end is sliding (to the left).Answer
- CMaintain engine power and turn the steering wheel sharply toward the right shoulder to pull out of the slide.
- DSlam on the brakes immediately while keeping the steering wheel held completely straight.
Answer
Ease off the accelerator pedal smoothly and steer in the direction the rear end is sliding (to the left).
When recovering from a rear-wheel skid (oversteer), releasing the accelerator removes driving torque from slipping wheels. Steering smoothly into the direction the rear end is sliding (to the left) aligns the front tires with the actual trajectory of the vehicle, allowing rolling traction to resume and stabilizing the vehicle.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Rear-Wheel Skid (Oversteer) Recovery Technique