If your vehicle begins to skid, you should:
- Ease up on the gas pedal. ✓
- Brake as hard as possible.
- Turn off the ignition.
Answer: A. Ease up on the gas pedal.
If your vehicle begins to skid, ease up on the gas pedal.
Why this is the answer
New York's manual describes what to do when your front wheels skid: take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral or push in the clutch. It also says not to steer immediately; the sideways wheels slow the vehicle and traction returns, then you steer where you want to go. Easing off the gas fits that instruction. The manual warns that hard braking with regular brakes makes the situation worse, and it says turning off the ignition can cost you steering control or lock the steering wheel.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. Brake as hard as possible. — Braking as hard as possible is wrong because the manual says hard braking with regular brakes makes a skid worse.
- C. Turn off the ignition. — Turning off the ignition is wrong because the manual warns you could lose steering control or lock your steering wheel.
Remember it
When a skid starts, think: let up on the gas before you touch the brake or the ignition.