Braking, Skids and Wet Roads

Key points

1. If you run off the pavement, hold the wheel firmly, brake lightly and return when safe.

   Source: Handbook p. 43

   “Hold the steering wheel firmly. Apply your brakes lightly and reduce your speed until you can safely return to the pavement.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 43

2. On ice, snow or gravel, tap standard brakes about 1 second apart; never tap antilock brakes.

   Source: Handbook p. 43

   “Tap the brakes slightly, about one second apart. Braking suddenly can make the car skid. (CAUTION: Never tap antilock brakes.)”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 43

3. Watch for black ice, especially on bridges and in shady areas.

   Source: Handbook p. 43

   “always be alert for black ice and watch for danger spots ahead, such as on bridges or in shady areas.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 43

4. In a skid, take your foot off the brake and steer in the direction of the skid if you safely can.

   Source: Handbook p. 43

   “if the car starts to skid, take your foot off the brake and turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 43

5. Roads are likely to be very slick just after it begins to rain or drizzle.

   Source: Handbook p. 44

   “The roads are likely to be very slick just after it begins to rain or drizzle.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 44

6. Hydroplaning means your tires lose contact with the road and ride on a film of water.

   Source: Handbook p. 44

   “Hydroplaning means that your tires lose contact with the road surface and ride on the film of water.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 44

7. Never drive into water crossing the road; you cannot judge its depth or force.

   Source: Handbook p. 44

   “Never drive into water crossing the roadway. You can’t judge the depth of the water or force and pull of the flow.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 44

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Oklahoma practice test

1. 1. What is the general steering response when a vehicle begins to skid?

   1. Lock the brakes and keep the steering wheel straight
   2. Accelerate sharply and steer opposite the skid every time
   3. Take your foot off the brake and steer in the direction of the skid when safe
   4. Use the clutch and turn toward oncoming traffic
   Show answer

   Take your foot off the brake and steer in the direction of the skid when safe. The manual treats skid control as a prevention issue first: slow down and maintain traction before the tires lose grip. Once a skid starts, the general response is to release the brake and steer in the skid direction, but only if that path avoids leaving the road, striking an object, or entering oncoming traffic. The absolute opposite-steering choice ignores the surrounding danger. On ice or loose surfaces, sudden braking can worsen the slide, so smooth inputs and a clear escape path are essential.

2. 2. Why is the beginning of a rainstorm especially hazardous for traction?

   1. Rain immediately makes tires grip better than on dry pavement
   2. The first drops always remove every hazard from the pavement
   3. The first drops can mix with built-up grease and dirt into a slippery film
   4. The danger exists only after the roadway has completely dried
   Show answer

   The first drops can mix with built-up grease and dirt into a slippery film. After a dry period, the first drops loosen grease and dirt that have accumulated on the pavement. That material combines with water into a slippery film, so traction can fall before a driver expects it. The other choices reverse or postpone the hazard. Because the road may look merely damp, a driver should ease off the accelerator, avoid abrupt braking, and increase space behind the next vehicle. If the rain becomes heavy, slowing further or pulling off the road can be safer than trying to maintain normal speed.

3. 3. What is the safest response if your vehicle runs off the pavement?

   1. Hold the wheel firmly and brake lightly while reducing speed
   2. Jerk the wheel sharply back onto the road
   3. Accelerate hard before steering back
   4. Brake suddenly with the wheels turned
   Show answer

   Hold the wheel firmly and brake lightly while reducing speed. If the vehicle leaves the pavement, hold the steering wheel firmly, apply the brakes lightly, and reduce speed until it is safe to return. Check traffic in both directions, then steer carefully back into the lane. A sharp correction can produce a loss of control, especially when the tires meet the pavement at an angle. Hard acceleration does not restore traction, and sudden braking with turned wheels can cause a skid. The cue is gradual control: stabilize first, slow down, check traffic, and return only when the path is clear.

Source: the Oklahoma Driver Manual, Chapter 8: Stopping and Following. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.