If you find yourself in the midst of a serious car accident as a result of skidding, this can be one of the scariest experiences you will ever live through. How you react in these immediate moments can have an impact on whether or not you survive the accident with minimal damage and injuries.

There are two primary causes of skidding in your vehicle; over-steering and under-steering. Over-steering happens when, as you turn your car, the front wheels begin the process of turning but the back wheels spin out to the outer ends of the curve causing the car to fish tail or slide from one side to another.

If this happens to you, it is important to release pressure on the gas and remove your foot from the brake. If your foot is already on the brake, release it slowly. If you are in a vehicle with manual transmission, the first step to do in this situation is to disengage the clutch and then steer the car carefully into the direction you wish to go.

You can remember this by thinking about steering into the direction of the skid. As it relates to under-steering, this happens when your car doesn’t turn as tightly as you might expect it to. This usually happens if the pavement is wet after it has been raining, for example.

The traction between the pavement and the tires is reduced in this situation, meaning that your tires are not able to grip the road as effectively as possible. What this translates to with your vehicle is that your car makes a much wider turn than it should have, leading to skidding behavior that can cause a severe car accident.

Car skidding can also happen if you hydroplane in a puddle of water or when it is raining. Any kind of moisture on the car can cause serious risks in terms of skidding. You may lose your steering ability briefly because your tires are unable to grip the pavement appropriately. If you start to hydroplane, remain calm. If you have been involved in an accident because somebody else skidded out after not paying attention to road or the weather conditions, you may have grounds for a personal injury claim.