Skids and rollovers — Indiana Permit Test

If your vehicle begins to skid, ease off the gas pedal and do not steer too far or turn sharply away from the skid.

Hard steering or more gas makes the tires lose more grip and can spin the car.

If your vehicle begins to lose traction or the rear wheels begin sliding sideways, ease off the gas pedal.

With conventional brakes, steer in a controlled way in the direction the rear of the car is sliding.

Steering toward the slide lines the front wheels back up with the car's path.

If your vehicle has conventional brakes, turn the steering wheel in a controlled manner in the direction the rear of the car is sliding.

With anti-lock brakes, keep firm and steady pressure on the brake pedal while steering normally, and do not pump the brakes.

ABS pumps the brakes for you. Pumping it yourself fights the system.

If your vehicle has an anti-lock brake system (ABS), keep your foot on the brake pedal, maintaining firm and continuous pressure, while steering normally.

A grinding sound, vibration or a harder pedal during hard braking means your anti-lock brakes are working.

Drivers who think the noise means trouble let up on the pedal, which is the wrong move.

A mechanical sound or noise and vibration or increased resistance in the brake pedal indicates your ABS is working.

If your vehicle leaves the roadway, do not turn back onto the pavement right away; ease off the gas and turn back gradually when it is safe.

A sharp jerk back onto the road is a common cause of rollovers and of crossing into oncoming traffic.

If your vehicle leaves the roadway, do not turn back onto the pavement right away.

Improperly inflated and worn tires make it harder to keep control of the vehicle, and keeping control is what most reduces the chance of a rollover.

Worn or soft tires lose grip in a turn, which is how many rollovers start.

Improperly inflated and worn tires inhibit your ability to maintain vehicle control, which is the most important factor in reducing the chance of rollover.

Many rollovers happen when a driver panics and overcorrects the steering in an emergency.

At highway speed a big jerk of the wheel can tip the vehicle onto its side.

Many rollovers occur when drivers overcorrect their steering as a panicked reaction to an emergency.

What should you do first when your vehicle begins to skid?

Ease off the gas pedal. Hard steering or more gas makes the tires lose more grip and can spin the car. Indiana Driver's Manual, p.42: “If your vehicle begins to lose traction or the rear wheels begin sliding sideways, ease off the gas pedal.”