Poor weather conditions, brake failure, tire blowouts, and other mechanical problems can all make you lose control of your car.
As you know, losing control of your vehicle is a terrifying experience, which can cause dangerous accidents on the road. When control is lost, you almost have no response time, or just have only 1-2 seconds to take immediate action.
Here are 8 things you can do to stay safe or regain that control when you lose control of your vehicle on the road.
1. Don’t Panic and Stay Calm
It is natural to panic after you lose control as you don’t know what unexpected will happen next. However, if you make decisions in a state of panic, you’ll put yourself in a dangerous condition because you’re out of your mind and cannot judge things clearly.
To take control of the situation, first, you need to be fearless and calm, which can significantly increase your chances of staying safe.
2. Hold On the Steering Wheel
Never let go of the steering wheel. In most cases, you can regain control of your vehicle by firmly holding on to the steering wheel. Without your hands on the wheel, you’re leaving your vehicle’s direction to chance, and the likelihood of a safe outcome decreases dramatically.
3. Keep Your Focus On the Road
Focus your eyes to the direction you want to go. Your hands tend to follow where your eyes are looking, so focusing on a safe path can help guide your vehicle there.
4. Avoid Braking Too Hard
Your first instinct to respond to a car’s out of control maybe slam down on the brake as hard as possible. However, this behavior is dangerous and can further make your car spin out of control.
Instead, the right action is to gradually and continuously press the brake down to slowly reduce the car’s speed until you can regain control.
5. Don’t Mistake Brake As Accelerator
When you panic, you may mistake the brake for the accelerator as they’re close to each other. When calm, you clearly know each pedal’s location under your foot. But in a crisis, you may accidentally step on the accelerator when you want to step on the brake, which will make the situation worse.
6. Shift Into Neutral
When you’re driving your car in Drive or Reverse, the engine is linked to the wheels, making them move. If your engine is going fast, your wheels will also go fast. But if you switch to neutral, you’re basically cutting off this link.
So, even if your engine is still going fast, your wheels won’t go any faster than they already are. This can help you slow down and get back in control of your car.
7. Use the Emergency Brake
The emergency brake, also known as the parking brake, is a secondary braking system installed in motor vehicles.
If you lose control of your vehicle, such as in a skid on a slippery road, you might be able to regain control by carefully applying the emergency brake. This should be done gradually and with caution, as sudden application can exacerbate the skid.
8. Don’t Stop In the Middle of The Road
If you regain control, avoid stopping in the middle of the road as it can cause other drivers to swerve or brake suddenly, leading to further accidents. Instead, try to pull over to a safe spot.
Final Thought
When you’re driving a car, you’re in control of its speed and direction. But sometimes, things can go wrong and your car will be out of control. For example, your car might start to skid on a wet road, or it might start to accelerate uncontrollably because of a mechanical problem.
By using the methods above, hope you can minimize danger and regain control of your vehicle.
