The rain makes it so you must be extra cautious on the road. However, no matter how safe you drive, some dangers may be impossible to avoid. One of the most dangerous situations is when you lose control of your vehicle because of hydroplaning or a patch of black ice on the road.
What do you do when this happens? Some drivers swear by their brakes while others are more prone to avoid their pedals. Which is the right thing to do?
To stay safe when you lose control, you must take the necessary steps to help regain control of your vehicle and avoid a collision.
Don’t Slam On Your Brakes
When you lose control, it’s because your tires have lost traction with the road. Your tires are gliding or floating, spinning on large puddles of water or across the slippery pavement. Your first instinct may tell you to slam on your brakes to stop your tires from spinning.
When you slam on your brakes, you stop the tires from spinning, but it doesn’t change the surface on which you are driving. You pose the threat of stopping your skidding out even more or abruptly stopping your vehicle and causing it to flip or lose further control. Instead of hitting your brakes, let go of the gas, and allow your vehicle to slow down on its own.
Don’t Overcorrect
When you lose control, it’s easy to try and turn back to the correct position. However, you should turn with the skid instead. You are more likely to catch traction with the ground again and straighten out your vehicle.
Overcorrecting can send you out of control even further, and you may have a much more challenging time getting back to where you need to be safely.
Unfortunately, not all drivers know how to fix their vehicle when they lose control. Many of these situations result in severe crashes. If negligence is involved, and you suffer an injury, our Atlanta car accident attorneys can help.
