What is the first thing you should do if you begin to skid?

When experiencing a skid, the most effective response is to steer in the direction you want the vehicle to go. This technique, known as "steering into the skid," helps to realign the vehicle's wheels with the direction of travel. When a vehicle skids, it loses traction, and turning the steering wheel toward the direction of the skid allows the driver to regain control and guides the vehicle back onto the correct path.

Using this method helps to re-establish contact between the tires and the road, allowing drivers to regain control more effectively. It is crucial to avoid overcorrecting or turning sharply, as this can exacerbate the situation and lead to a loss of control.

Additional responses, such as braking firmly or accelerating, can worsen the skid and may lead to further skidding or spinning out, while turning sharply can result in the tires skidding in the opposite direction. Thus, steering in the direction you want to go is the correct action to take in order to manage a skid successfully.