Driver's License Test Prep
Florida Practice Emergencies

Your rear tires begin to skid on a slick Florida road. Which direction does the manual tell you to turn the front tires?

  1. A.
    Straight ahead while pumping the brakes
  2. B.
    Toward the shoulder to slow the vehicle down
  3. C.
    In the direction you want the vehicle to go Correct
  4. D.
    In the opposite direction of the skid
The Why

The answer is "In the direction you want the vehicle to go"

The manual's skidding instructions say to steer the front tires in the direction you want the vehicle to go, which matches the direction of the skid itself. Answer D reaches for the old counter-steer saying that many learners were taught before power steering and ABS were common, applying it against what the manual now prescribes.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Straight ahead while pumping the brakes

The manual tells you to steer where you want to go, not to keep the wheels straight, and to avoid using the brakes if possible. This answer borrows the conventional-brake emergency-stop advice from the next page and applies it to a skid, where braking is the wrong response.

B. Toward the shoulder to slow the vehicle down

The manual does not say to aim for the shoulder during a skid; you steer where you want to go. This answer confuses the 'right wheels off pavement' recovery, which involves the shoulder, with the correct response to a skid.

D. In the opposite direction of the skid

The manual tells you to steer with the skid, not against it. This answer applies the old 'counter-steer out of a slide' saying that many learners were taught before power steering and ABS were common.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Emergencies in Florida. Source: Florida Driver Manual, "Handling Emergencies - Skidding/Hydroplaning," p.79..

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