When you're driving in snow and you start to fishtail, How do you regain control?

Question

I just got in an accident the other day. I was going 50 in a 65 and the road had a relatively thin cover of snow on it. I believe I was accelerating and a gust of wind knocked the back of my truck to the right a little, I panicked and braked, which caused the fishtailing to gain more and more momentum as I swerved left and right until I finally hit a guardrail. No injures to me. But my truck lost its front bumper.

I want to see where I went wrong in this situation and how it may have been avoided.

What is the right way to handle this?

Answer 1

Don't touch any pedals at all. Let off on the brake. Let off on the gas. The truck will right itself.

Also, should have been going slower because you wouldn't know if there was ice underneath the snow.

Answer 2

turn in the direction of the skid

Answer 3

Yes, you were definitely going too fast !!  The first thing you do in that situation is get "off" the gas, if you have enough distance that will often correct the fishtailing.  Whenever you are going into a slide, again "off" the gas and steer into the slide, if you have enough distance you can regain control and at a "slower" pace continue on.  Always wear your seatbelt, that way if you don't have enough distance you won't get thrown out of the vehicle.

Answer 4

let off the gas and steer in the direction of the skid.  dont hit the brakes.  as soon as the wheels start spinning they'll regain traction and should straighten out .

Answer 5

Well the first thing you did wrong,you were going way to fast. Trucks suck in the snow. Get off of the brakes that only makes it worse. Steer in to the skid. and lightly pump the brake pedal.

Answer 6

The "Just me" guy has is pretty well much in the bag. Rear wheel drive for your truck, and no weight on the drive wheels. Makes for bad news in the snow. Lived in Seattle for a few years. Had a Dodge Ram. The trick to driving a light in the butt rear wheel drive is to actually steer with your rear. (Or carry about 300 pounds of sandbags in the back. Not an option anymore with gas at $3+ a gallon!)

You ever see them dudes in the dirt track races that slide sideways with the rear tires spinning like mad? Notice that the front wheels are turned opposite the direction they are going! Well, you don't have to get that radical. You just counter-steer, and use the gas to make the vehicle go where you want it to go. I can't say I ever used the technique at the speed you were going, but I managed to avoid lot's of curbs and other cars at lower speed doing my steering with the back end on slippery stuff.

It's just practice. You pick it up with time and driving in bad conditions. Don't make you a bad driver that you can't it now. It'll come with time, and practice. I was in my 30's and had my DL for many years before I felt safe in the snow. And one other thing that comes with time and practice is this little saying we had in Seattle. When in the snow, you best go slow.

Rear steer is good to know, but you usually pick it up by having to get in trouble first. Don't really think the best way to learn is to get in trouble first, but try this. Next time you have bad weather, go to a big mall. They usually have empty areas in the parking lots where you can "practice" without hitting anything. Find a good empty stretch, get up some speed, (Not 50, mind you!) and nail the brakes.

Give the puppy some juice and counter-steer. You will pick up how much counter-steer to use and how much gas to use to get straight again. And pumping the brake is good for certain situations, but in the snow and ice it's not a good idea. Here is why. If you are sliding already, you have lost traction. Locking up the brakes ain't gonna get you out of trouble, just make it take a bit longer to hit what you are gonna hit.

Get out of trouble first, then slow down as best you can. Best way to avoid the problem you had is to learn how to steer with both ends of your vehicle. It's really simple once you learn the trick. A little steering, a little gas, and before you know you ain't in trouble anymore.

If I can elaborate on the subject, drop me a line. Tried to do the best I could here, but sometimes little stuff falls through the cracks.

Answer 7

You have to drive into the swerve then regain control

Answer 8

when ya start to fish tail take ya foot of the accelerater and don't press the brake at all hold steering tight and very slowly correct don't over correct by turning to tight this will make it worse when ya start to correct turn the steering strait don't try to turn it back the opposite way and it should slide back in slowly and if there's groves in the snow slowly lock back into it