During a skid, you lose control of which aspects?

• A. Direction and speed
• B. Direction only
• C. Neither direction nor speed
• D. Direction and speed

Answer: (D)

When tires have slid out of grip, you can’t rely on steering or braking to control the car. A skid means you lose both how fast you’re going and which way you’re headed because the tires aren’t griping the road anymore. You’re driven by inertia and friction, not your inputs, so direction and speed become unpredictable.

To recover, ease off the accelerator or brakes to allow traction to return, avoid slamming the brakes, and steer gently toward the direction you want to go. Look where you want to travel and, once the tires regain grip, straighten the wheels and resume steering toward your intended path. Skids are most likely on slick surfaces like wet, icy, or gravel roads, so reducing speed in those conditions helps prevent them.