What do you lose control of when your vehicle skids?

• A. The brakes only
• B. The horn
• C. The steering (direction and speed)
• D. The accelerator

Answer: (C)

When a vehicle skids, the tires lose grip on the road, so your steering input stops translating into the car’s actual path. That means you lose control of direction and speed—the car can slide past where you intend it to go, no matter how hard you turn the wheel or how you press the pedals.

The key to recovering is to stay calm and let the car regain traction. Ease off the accelerator and avoid harsh braking or abrupt steering corrections. Steer gently in the direction you want the front of the car to go, then, once the tires catch again, straighten the wheel and smoothly resume steering and speed.