When attempting to stop on a slippery road, the best action to take is:
- Apply the brakes quickly and firmly
- Apply the brakes in slow, steady strokes ✓
- Shift to a lower gear, do not use the brakes
- Shift into neutral, do not use the brakes
Answer: B. Apply the brakes in slow, steady strokes
To stop on a slippery road, apply the brakes in slow, steady strokes.
Why this is the answer
The handbook's winter driving section says that to prevent skids on snow and ice, you should brake early, carefully, and gently. It tells you to press the brakes in slow, steady strokes and let the wheels keep turning. If the wheels begin to lock up, you reduce pressure on the pedal. That guidance points directly to slow, steady braking rather than a fast, hard stop. The same passage warns that hard braking with regular brakes makes the situation worse.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Apply the brakes quickly and firmly — Applying the brakes quickly and firmly is the hard braking the handbook says will make the situation worse with regular brakes.
- C. Shift to a lower gear, do not use the brakes — The handbook mentions shifting to neutral during a front-wheel skid, not shifting to a lower gear and avoiding the brakes to stop.
- D. Shift into neutral, do not use the brakes — Shifting into neutral is described as a response during a front-wheel skid, not as a way to stop without using the brakes.
Remember it
On a slick surface, think soft and steady on the brake pedal, not quick and hard.