Skidding

A skid happens when the grip available at the tyres is less than what you are asking of them. The road conditions set how much grip there is, but what turns a slippery road into a skid is braking, steering or accelerating harder than those conditions allow. That is why the test treats skidding as caused by the driver.

The recovery depends on which end has gone. If the rear slides out, ease off the accelerator and steer gently into the direction of the slide — turn the wheel the way the back is going. The instinctive response, braking hard and steering against it, makes it worse.

Anti-lock brakes help you keep steering while braking hard, but they do not create grip and will not necessarily stop you any shorter, particularly on loose or icy surfaces. The real defence is lower speed and smoother inputs before you need any of it.