Skids and failures — Texas Permit Test

A car skids when its tires lose their grip on the road surface.

Nothing about the steering or the brakes works while that is true. Getting the grip back is the only move.

An automobile skids when its tires lose their grip on the road surface

In a skid a driver should not hit the brakes suddenly and hard, and should take their foot off the gas pedal.

Braking hard keeps the wheels locked and the grip gone. Lifting off is what lets the tires start working again.

Do not hit the brakes suddenly and hard. Take your foot off the gas pedal (accelerator)

In a skid a driver turns the steering wheel in the direction of the skid, and gently straightens the wheels as control returns.

Steering against it keeps the tires pointing where they are not going. Turning with it lines them back up.

Turn your steering wheel in the direction of the skid. As you recover control, gently straighten the wheels

A driver avoids a skid by slowing down when road and weather conditions are poor, and by checking the tires, since old or worn tread is dangerous.

The skid starts before the driver feels anything. Speed and tread are the two things decided in advance.

Avoid a situation that could cause a skid by slowing down when the road and weather conditions are poor

If the brakes fail a driver can use the parking brake and shift to a lower gear, applying the parking brake cautiously to avoid locking the brakes and throwing the car into a skid.

Yanking the parking brake locks the rear wheels and spins the car. Applying it slowly is the whole technique.

Apply your parking brake cautiously to keep from locking the brakes and throwing your car into a skid

A driver who runs off the pavement should not hit the brakes suddenly and hard, but grip the wheel tightly and take their foot off the gas.

Braking hard with two wheels off the edge pulls the car sideways. Holding the wheel straight is what keeps it pointed.

If something causes you to swerve and run off the pavement: • Do not hit the brakes suddenly and hard. Grip the steering wheel tightly and take your foot off the gas pedal

A driver who has run off the pavement waits until speed is reduced, checks the traffic behind, and then carefully drives back onto the pavement.

Swinging back at speed puts the car across the road. Slowing first is what makes the return a small movement.

If something causes you to swerve and run off the pavement: • Do not hit the brakes suddenly and hard. Grip the steering wheel tightly and take your foot off the gas pedal. • Use your brakes carefully and do not swing back onto the pavement. Wait until your speed is reduced, check the traffic behind you, and then carefully drive back onto the pavement

With a flat tire or a blowout a driver takes their foot off the gas, gently applies the brakes, and steers straight ahead to a stop.

A blowout pulls the car to one side hard. Steering straight is a deliberate act, not what happens on its own.

If you have a flat tire or a blowout: • Do not hit the brakes suddenly and hard • Take your foot off the gas pedal and gently apply the brakes • Steer straight ahead to a stop

Driving down a steep hill a driver can shift into a low gear to help slow the vehicle, and should never coast in neutral or with a foot on the clutch.

The engine does the slowing in a low gear and the brakes get a rest. Coasting takes the engine out of it entirely.

When driving down a steep hill, you can shift your car into a low gear to help slow your vehicle

What happens when a Texas car goes into a skid?

The tires lose their grip on the road. Nothing about the steering or the brakes works while that is true. Getting the grip back is the only move. Texas Driver Handbook, p.48: “An automobile skids when its tires lose their grip on the road surface”