There are many famous movie scenes that try to answer some of the pressing questions of our time, but none is more debated in movies than this one. The question that gets the comedy and drama treatment just the same by Hollywood is how to handle your car when it is skidding across ice.
It’s not just Hollywood that has tried to tackle this question either, you may have had the debate with your spouse or other relatives about what is the best thing to do when you’re sliding on an icy surface to help avoid a Connecticut auto accident.
There is good news in this debate. In fact, it is no longer a debate according to safety experts at Aceable. The rule of thumb is that you should turn INTO the slide. What does this mean? Let’s say for instance that your car hits a patch of ice and begins to slide. You should take your steering wheel and turn the wheel in the direction that the rear wheels of the car are sliding in. So, if your real wheels are sliding to the right, you want to turn your steering wheel to the right as well.
The next thing you will want to know about steering into a slide is that you should steer the car with the same speed and intensity that the wheels are sliding. So if you are just experiencing a slight skid with the back tires sliding right only a little bit, you will want to be less aggressive with steering into the slide. If, however, it is a very hard slide that your tires are doing you will want to aggressively turn into the slide until you are out of the situation with the ice.
Braking is another key to being able to avoid a dangerous slide when driving on ice. Many cars come with Anti-lock brake systems (ABS) which will alleviate some of the stress on the driver in how you are braking when you hit a patch of ice. If your car is equipped with ABS you should brake as you normally would and the system will take over. You will likely feel a pulsating in the foot you are using to brake. This is the braking system's way of applying the right amount of pressure to avoid an accident.
If you do not have ABS, you will want to use your foot to brake with your heel on the floor and your toes doing the work of braking. You will want to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal until you feel the car reach its threshold where the brakes lock up. Once you reach the threshold you will want to let off the brake and if you’re still sliding, apply similar pressure again to the threshold of the brakes locking up.
The best way to avoid a Connecticut auto accident when driving on slippery and icy roads is to go slow and allow yourself plenty of space between you and the car in front of you. If you do that, you are much less likely to be in a situation where you are facing an emergency braking or turning issue.
If you do get into an accident and get injured you may want to speak with an experienced attorney. One of our attorneys can speak with you to review your case and work with you to protect your long-term interests.
