How to Recover From a Front Wheel Drive Skid

There are three main ways to put your car into a skid: while accelerating, while braking, and while turning. Snow, ice, and water will also contribute to a skidding problem. Recovering from a skid in a front wheel drive car is more difficult than a rear wheel drive, but it not as easy to get into a skid.

  • Turn the steering wheel in the same direction the wheels are skidding. As you recover the skid may reverse, requiring you to steer the other way to compensate.

  • Allow the drive wheels to rotate at the speed the car is going by not braking or accelerating. If you have a manual transmission, push in the clutch. Once the wheels are at the same speed as the car, they will regain traction.

  • Keep both hands on the wheel and don't give up; a skid may require several corrections before full control is regained.