What Should You Do If Your Car Is Sliding on Icy Highway? The Nightmare Scenario Unfolds
Driving on icy roads can be a daunting task, especially if you aren’t used to it. Even the most experienced drivers can find themselves in a situation where their car is sliding on ice on the highway. Do you know what to do in such a situation can help you avoid an accident? Let’s explore some tips on what to do if your car is sliding on ice on the highway. Should the worse case scenario ever happen to you, here’s a few tips that you can use in order to avoid a bad crash if your car is sliding on an icy highway. And no, it doesn’t look like that old tale of “put the car in Neutral” actually rings true, though I had a friend from Chicago tell me to do this exact thing for driving in the ice. For more details and information on all things weather, be sure to subscribe!
Slow Down As a First Idea
Driving your car at a safe speed on ice (average 45mph / 70km/h) and avoiding sudden braking, turning, or acceleration can help you avoid sliding on ice. Remember, the higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes to correct a slide. Most slides or fishtails happening above 45mph require precise steering to correct. In almost any case with severe weather, sans whatever traffic is around you that you need to keep up with, slowing down is a good rule of thumb. You’re in much less danger if you’re going 25mph (traffic being equal) than 100mph.
Turn into the Slide
You can turn your front wheels in the same way or direction the vehicle’s rear is sliding if your vehicle starts to slide on ice. This approach helps keep your eyes focused on where you want the vehicle to go. It’s good to understand that correcting your slide in one direction makes your car move in the opposite direction. So, if your car is sliding to the right, turn your wheels to the right.
The basic premise here is that you are trying to get back control of the vehicle. So if you are sliding right, move the wheels to the right so that you stay in the same direction as the slide. If you do this the opposite way then you may end up causing your car to spin, which is the worst case scenario as you totally lose control.
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Avoid Braking
Resist the temptation to hit your brakes when your vehicle hits a patch on icy roads. Braking can lock your vehicle up and worsen the sliding. Instead of braking, lift your foot from the accelerator or gas to decelerate at a slower pace. Take your foot off the accelerator or gas pedal if you notice the car’s front wheels starting to slide. Removing your leg from the gas pedal should be enough to slow the vehicle and give you full control over the car.
If the steering trick is not working, you can then put the car in neutral, this should be better than breaking as it just allows your wheels to rotate.
Wrapping Up, Final Thoughts On What Should You Do If Your Car is Sliding on An Icy Highway?
Driving on icy roads can be dangerous. Despite the dangers that come with driving on these roads, knowing what to do if your car is sliding on ice can help you avoid an accident. Experts advise that you turn into the slide, avoid braking, and slow down to deal with the issue. These tips help you stay safe on the road despite the most challenging road conditions. Actually my first season with Icy roads is likely coming up in the next several months or so, and it may just be one of my toughest challenges yet, trust me you guys will hear all about it here on TornadoXtreme!
Thanks for reading
Sources:
https://weather.com/safety/winter/news/2019-10-15-how-handle-driving-black-ice
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