Skids, Emergency Braking and ABS: Keeping Control

A skid happens when your tyres lose their grip on the road. Almost every skid has the same cause: the driver asked the tyres to do too much at once, by braking, accelerating or steering too hard for the speed and the surface. Modern brakes such as ABS help, but they cannot change the laws of physics. This article explains how to avoid skids, how to brake hard in an emergency, and what to do if a skid, aquaplaning or a tyre blowout happens.

What the law says

• Speed you can control: drive at a speed that lets you control the vehicle at all times, taking into account the vehicle, its load, the road, traffic, visibility and weather (Regulation 16(1) of the Motor Vehicles (Driving) Regulations, 2017).
• Bad weather: in fog, rain, storms or dust, slow down so that you can stop within the distance you can see ahead (Regulation 16(2)).
• Following distance: keep enough distance to stop safely if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops, and increase it in rain and other bad weather (Regulation 17(1) and (3)).
• No sudden braking: when another vehicle is following you, do not brake suddenly without a compelling reason (Regulation 17(2)).
• Defects: if you find a technical fault, such as a brake problem, while driving, take the vehicle off the road as quickly as you safely can (Regulation 5).

Why skids happen

• braking too hard, so the wheels lock and slide;
• accelerating too hard, especially on a wet road or with a powerful vehicle, so the driving wheels spin;
• steering too sharply or too fast for the speed, especially on a bend; and
• a slippery surface: the first rain after a dry spell (oil and dust float up), wet road markings, mud, gravel, sand, diesel spills, leaves and manhole covers.

Worn tyres, wrong tyre pressures and a heavy or badly placed load all make skids more likely (see Rule 21).

Braking hard in an emergency

1. With ABS (most new cars, and two-wheelers above 125 cc): press the brake pedal hard and keep pressing. The pedal may vibrate and make a noise: this is ABS working, so do not lift off. Because the wheels do not lock, you can still steer around the danger.
2. Without ABS: brake firmly but progressively. If the wheels lock and the car slides straight on, release the brake just enough for the wheels to turn again, then reapply. A locked wheel cannot steer.
3. In a manual car: press the clutch down as well, just before you stop, to avoid stalling.
4. Look where you want to go, not at what you might hit. Your hands follow your eyes.
5. After you stop: switch on hazard lights if you are in danger, and check the mirror for traffic behind (Rule 12).

If the car skids

• ease off the accelerator and the brake: a skid is caused by too much force, so take the force away;
• if the back of the car slides out, steer smoothly in the same direction as the back is sliding (if the rear slides to the right, steer right) and look where you want to go. Be ready for it to swing back the other way;
• if the front slides straight on on a bend (understeer), ease off and straighten the steering a little until the tyres grip again, then steer gently; and
• do not over-correct. Small, smooth movements recover a skid; big, sudden ones cause a second skid. Electronic stability control (ESC), if fitted, helps, but only within the limits of grip.

Two-wheelers

• brake with both brakes, with the motorcycle upright and the handlebars straight. The front brake gives most of the stopping power, so squeeze it firmly but progressively, never grab it;
• scooters and small motorcycles often have CBS (combined braking), which applies both brakes from one lever. Learn how yours works;
• avoid braking hard while leaning in a bend. Slow down before the bend, not in it;
• if the rear wheel locks and slides, keep it locked and stay straight until you stop, if the road ahead is clear, rather than releasing it suddenly while the bike is sideways; and
• take extra care on painted lines, metal covers and wet patches (Rule 15).

Aquaplaning

At speed on standing water, a layer of water can lift the tyres off the road. The steering suddenly feels light and the engine may rev. Do not brake or steer: ease off the accelerator, hold the steering straight and wait until the tyres grip again. Prevent it by slowing down when there is water on the road (Rule 11).

Tyre blowout

• hold the steering firmly with both hands: the vehicle will pull towards the side of the burst tyre;
• do not brake hard. Ease off the accelerator and let the vehicle slow down gradually, keeping it straight;
• brake gently only when the vehicle is under control and slowing, then pull over to the left as far as you safely can; and
• switch on hazard lights and set up a warning triangle before changing the wheel (Rule 12).

If the brakes fail

• pump the brake pedal quickly: it may bring back some pressure;
• change down through the gears to use engine braking (in an automatic, select a lower range, such as L or 2);
• apply the handbrake gradually, not suddenly, holding the release button so you can ease it off if the car starts to slide;
• warn others with the horn and hazard lights, and steer towards an escape route: an uphill road, a gravel area or an arrester bed on a ghat road (Rule 33); and
• as a last resort, rub the vehicle against a soft barrier or bushes to scrub off speed.

Common mistakes

Remember