In a front-wheel power skid, what happens to the tires when you accelerate?

• A. Your steering wheel locks up
• B. The brakes lock and you stop abruptly
• C. Your front tires spin when you accelerate
• D. The rear wheels start to skid

Answer: (C)

When you accelerate in a front-wheel drive car, the engine’s power is sent to the front tires, so the front tires are the ones trying to grip the road while under load. If you push the gas hard, especially on a slick surface or with weight shifting to the rear during acceleration, the front tires can’t generate enough friction to hold, so they start to spin. That loss of traction on the driven wheels is what creates the front-wheel power skid. The rear wheels keep turning their own way, so you don’t get a coordinated grip from all four wheels, and steering can feel off because the front tires aren’t providing the usual steering or braking grip. To recover, ease off the accelerator to reduce torque and steer smoothly in the direction you want to go as traction returns.