What to know about skidding and traction loss

Sula Kilimani, a mechanic at Kampala Downtown Kisekka market defines skidding and traction loss as a process when your car gets off the road as a result of either poor condition of the car or a slippery road. In some instances, skidding and traction loss happens as a result of poor or bad driving habits of the motorist. Similarly, traction loss is when your car tyres can no longer maintain touch or hold onto the road surface.

Driving behaviour
For example, Ian Kasozi agrees that he is a fast drive. When he is driving on a road that he is not familiar with, he turns the steering wheel too fast when he realises he is about to hit a pothole.
“Potholes damage car rims and sometimes burst tyres when I am driving. I turn the steering wheel fast to avoid incurring mechanical costs that happen when I am not prepared financially,” Kasozi says.

Much as motorists such as Kasozi dodge potholes by turning the steering wheel without preparation because they do not want to experience any breakdowns, or damage anything on their car, Kilimani cautions that such actions do nothing other than cause you to skid and lose traction on the road.

This is because as a result of sudden steering turning, in most cases, it is highly possible to fail to steer or control the car regardless of whether it is a slippery road or not. The vehicle goes off the road into a swamp or any other objects nearby because the car body during skidding becomes heavier than where the steering wheel is directing it to go.

During skidding and traction loss, the steering wheel column experiences excessive friction from the car body to guide the steering wheel rack to direct the wheel system to safer areas or stay on the road.

This, he believes, explains why you find vehicles on the road that have skidded or plunged with their headlight or engine area into roadside bushes as the rear part remains hanging in space. A steering wheel column is a rod that connects the steering wheel to the steering rack.

Engaging brakes roughly
Additionally, the way you apply your brakes while driving also determines whether you skid or lose traction on the road.
“When you step on the brake randomly and you want to stop the car like a bicycle from the onset of stepping on the brakes in places like corners or bends, you are likely to lose traction and skid off the road. You totally skid and lose traction if you apply brakes when it has rained,” Kilimani adds.

Combined errors
Moses Kayiira, a mechanic at Vine Auto at Kisaasi says by the time you skid or lose traction, it is as a result of driving fast in road area where it is not necessary.

However, at the same time, you could be driving fast yet you are approaching a corner or when you are turning the steering wheel harder than your car can or is willing to turn. This all leads to losing traction and skidding.

Condition of the road
Kayiira explains that while your car could sometimes be in a roadworthy condition, the state of the road can lead to skidding and traction loss. In situations when the road was constructed and the top layer was smoothened, it increases your chances of skidding and losing traction.

“If you are driving on a murrum road, they are usually associated with slipperiness regardless of whether it has rained or not. If it has rained, the car will skid by sliding sideways. If it has not rained, the small round stones on the road can as well cause skidding and the car still gets off the road from its sides depending on which direction the slippery stones take it,” Kayiira explains.

Condition of the car
Lewiscountydrivingschool, an online portal advises that brakes should be evenly adjusted so that on application of the brakes, the vehicle slows down in a straight line. If the brakes pull one way or the other, a skid can easily occur. Front wheels being out of alignment also can cause a skid by pulling the vehicle one way or another when the brakes are applied.

The portal adds that the tyres should have good treads, and preferably the front and rear pairs should be well matched, and the tyre pressure should be correct. If there is a different pressure in one tyre from that in the opposite one, the effect can be similar to that of unevenly adjusted brakes because one tyre will drag more than the other tyres.

Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning takes place while driving on wet roads. In a standard passenger vehicle, partial hydroplaning starts at about 35 MPH and increases with speed up to about 55 MPH, at which point the tyres can be totally up on the water. In a severe rainstorm, for example, with less than 1/8 inch of tyre tread, the tyres may not touch the road at 55 MPH. If this is the case, there is no friction available to brake, accelerate, or corner.

To prevent hydroplaning, it is most helpful to have properly inflated good tyres with deep tread, at least 1/8 inch. The tread allows the water to escape from under the tires and tends to prevent complete hydroplaning at normal highway speeds.
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