Photo: Marcia Straub/gettyimages
Wintertime sleet, snow and ice storms can make driving conditions unpredictable. Roads can become coated in ice and/or compacted snow, which may cause cars and trucks to skid. Skidding occurs when tires lose traction with the road, causing vehicles to slip.
According to the Division of Workers’ Compensation at the Texas Department of Insurance, here’s how drivers can be ready to respond to a vehicle skid:
Test the brakes. Learn how the vehicle’s brakes respond in icy conditions by practicing in an empty parking lot. See how the vehicle reacts when pressure is applied to the brake pedal.
Stop accelerating. Remove your foot from the gas pedal to slow down the vehicle and the spin of the tires.
Gently tap the brakes. Don’t slam on them. That may cause the vehicle to further skid.
Steer away from the skid. Correct the vehicle’s position by steering in the opposite direction of the skid.
Don’t oversteer. This can result in a driver losing control of the vehicle.
McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.
Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication