How to correct a slide when driving on icy roads

With so much of our country under cold, icy conditions, I thought it might be time for a refresher course in what to do if you find yourself behind the wheel of a vehicle that hits an ice patch.

According to icyroadsafety.com, "If you drive at a safe speed on ice and snow (45mph or less) and avoid sudden braking, acceleration or turns, you won't need to worry about correcting anything" It says "most slides or fishtails that happen above 45mph (70km/h) require very quick and precise steering to correct, and are beyond the ability of most drivers to successfully manage."

But there's always that chance that a car in front of you starts sliding, or there's some debris or even an animal in the road and you have to react.

They offer these three important tips:

There are three points to remember about oversteer slide correction.

  1. Don't hit your brakes: Braking triggers slides and makes existing slides worse!
  2. Turn into the slide: Turn your wheels in the direction the back of the vehicle is sliding.
  3. Don't panic and don't overcorrect: Overcorrecting may send the car into an unrecoverable spin.

Below is a video that may help as well.


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