How to handle a winter skid in modern cars: what actually works
Old rules like 'turn into the skid' are outdated. Modern cars with ABS and stability control respond differently. Be smooth, look where you want to go and brake only to reduce impact.
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By Torontoer Staff
Forget the old mantra to 'turn into the skid'. With anti-lock brakes and electronic stability systems standard on most cars, the practical steps are simpler: ease off the gas, steer smoothly toward where you want the car to go, and brake only if necessary to reduce impact.
Drivers who learned winter skills decades ago were told to pump the brakes or make rapid corrective steering inputs. Those techniques can make things worse now that most vehicles can manage braking and traction electronically.
Immediate actions when your car starts to skid
The first priority is to reduce demand on the tyres so traction can recover. Lift off the accelerator smoothly. Avoid jerky steering movements and abrupt braking. Small, calm steering inputs aimed at the escape route will usually allow the front tyres to regain grip and straighten the car.
Just smoothly come off the gas and slow down. The skid will correct itself, but it’s important that the driver does not turn the wheel and overcorrect.
Ian Law, former racecar driver and chief instructor, ILR Car Control School
Look where you want to go, not at obstacles. Drivers often lock eyes on a ditch or another vehicle and their hands follow that gaze. Keep your focus on the path you want the car to take, and steer just enough to get there.
If you look at that truck and you focus on it, unfortunately, you might drive your car into it.
Carl Nadeau, driving expert, Michelin
Braking, ABS and what to expect
Anti-lock braking systems, or ABS, prevent the wheels from locking under heavy braking so you can maintain some steering control. ABS has been standard on new cars in Canada since 2012. Modern systems pulse the brakes much faster than a human can, so do not pump the brake pedal.
If ABS engages it can feel noisy and grabby. Resist the instinct to let up. In an emergency stop with ABS, the correct action is to push the brake pedal firmly and hold it. The system will modulate pressure to keep the tyres rolling and preserve directional control.
A lot of drivers take their foot off the brake thinking they’re doing something wrong with all that noise going on. In an emergency with ABS, your goal is to push the pedal through the floor.
Ian Law
Drive layout, stability control and modern behaviour
Advice that depended on front- or rear-wheel drive matters less today. Electronic stability control, also mandatory on new cars in Canada since 2012, intervenes when the vehicle nears the limits of grip. ESC can reduce engine power and apply individual brakes to help the car track the intended path.
Because ESC and other traction systems are tuned to intervene early, many cars will display understeer before any other kind of slip, meaning the front end loses grip first. That makes calm steering and reduced speed more important than the old fix-it tricks of the past.
Even if you accelerate, ESC is not going to give you the power to the front wheels.
Carl Nadeau
Preventing skids: what to practise and what to avoid
- Slow down for conditions and increase following distance.
- Make all inputs smooth: steering, braking and acceleration.
- Avoid sudden lane changes or harsh steering corrections.
- Use ABS properly: press firmly and hold the pedal during an emergency stop.
- If a skid is unavoidable and collision likely, brake to reduce impact while maintaining as much steering control as possible.
- Consider a winter driving course to practise controlled reactions in a safe environment.
Many drivers overestimate what tyres and electronics can do. Prevention is easier than recovery. Smooth control inputs and reduced speed prevent most skids before ESC or ABS need to take over.
Most winter skids can be prevented by paying attention to road conditions and then steering, accelerating and braking gently.
Ian Law
Practical next steps
Read your owner’s manual so you understand the safety systems in your car. If you have limited winter driving experience, book an instructor-led session to practise on low-traction surfaces. Winter tyres are a worthwhile investment for most drivers, offering better traction at cold temperatures and on snow or ice.
Staying calm and smooth is the simplest, most effective rule. Don’t try to outdrive the road. Ease off the gas, look where you want to go, and let the vehicle’s systems do their work while you make measured steering corrections.
If you have a driving question, local instructor-led courses can give hands-on practice and confidence. The rules have changed with vehicle technology, and a short session can translate modern systems into better real-world responses.
winter drivingcar safetyABSESCdriving tips
