Illinois Driving Permit Practice Test 2026 - Free Driving Permit Practice Questions and Study Guide

When a vehicle starts to skid, the appropriate response is to steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go. This technique, often referred to as "steering into the skid," helps to regain traction and stability in the vehicle. By turning the steering wheel toward where you want to end up, you can align the wheels with the direction of travel, which encourages the tires to regain grip on the road surface.

Maintaining control during a skid is crucial to avoid losing control completely. Steering into the skid allows you to navigate back onto your path rather than allowing the rear wheels to slide further out. This reaction is vital because skidding is typically a loss of rear wheel traction, and correcting the vehicle's trajectory reduces the likelihood of a spinout.

The other choices, while they might seem like options under stressful circumstances, would not contribute to regaining control of a skidding vehicle. For example, steering opposite to the skid could further destabilize the vehicle, and accelerating can worsen the loss of traction. Additionally, braking immediately can lock the wheels and exacerbate the skidding issue. Therefore, proper steering is the most effective method to mitigate a skid and regain control of the vehicle.