How do I drive on ice, and what do I do if my car starts to skid?

Updated October 30, 20268 sources4 min read

Short answer

Slow down well below the limit, leave far more room than usual, keep cruise control off, and do one thing at a time, smoothly, braking early and gently. If the car starts to skid, take your foot off the gas, don't slam the brakes, look where you want to go and steer there with small, smooth corrections; if you must brake hard and have ABS, press firmly and hold it even when the pedal pulses.

Safety first. If roads are icing over, the safest choice is not to drive; most winter crashes come from going too fast for conditions (Michigan State Police). If you slide off the road, stay buckled in and call 911 if anyone is hurt or you're in a traffic lane. Turn on your hazards, and if you're stuck and waiting, keep the tailpipe clear of snow to avoid carbon monoxide.

On this page

Step by step
Why ice is so hard to drive on
Before a skid: how to drive so it doesn’t happen
What to do if your car skids
Where ice hides
AWD and 4WD don’t help you stop
Hills
If you end up off the road
Follow-up questions
Sources

Step by step

1
Slow down before you need to
Drive below the limit when it's slick. It can take up to ten times longer to stop on snowy or icy roads, and you can be ticketed for driving too fast for conditions even under the posted limit (Michigan State Police). AAA Hoosier notes most slides above 45 mph are beyond what most drivers can correct.
2
Leave a lot more room
AAA Washington says to add about 10 extra seconds of following distance on icy, slippery roads. Give snowplows extra space too; they stop often, make wide turns and overlap lanes (NHTSA).
3
Turn cruise control off
If a tire slips with cruise on, the system keeps feeding power to hold speed (Michigan State Police). AAA Washington says to avoid it in winter conditions.
4
Do one thing at a time, smoothly
Accelerate, turn and brake as separate actions, not combined, and start braking sooner than on dry pavement (Consumer Reports). Consumer Reports' rule of thumb is to drive as if a full cup of coffee sits on the dash.
5
Expect ice where you can't see it
Bridges and overpasses freeze before other surfaces (National Weather Service). Watch for black ice on bridges, ramps, overpasses, in shaded spots and after sudden temperature drops; it looks like wet pavement (Michigan State Police).
6
If you skid, lift off and look where you want to go
Ease off the gas, don't brake hard, keep your eyes on the path you want and steer there with only as much wheel as the slide needs. Straighten out as the car recovers; it may swing back the other way (AAA Hoosier, Michigan State Police).
7
Brake the right way for your car
With ABS (anti-lock brakes), press the pedal firmly and hold it; pulsing and buzzing are normal, don't let up (NHTSA, Consumer Reports, Michigan State Police). Without ABS, squeeze the brake just short of locking; if the wheels lock, ease off slightly and reapply (AAA Washington, NHTSA).

Why ice is so hard to drive on

Federal Highway Administration figures put the toll of snowy, slushy or icy pavement at more than 1,300 deaths and 116,800 injuries in an average year. Michigan State Police say most winter crashes come from drivers going too fast for the conditions, and that stopping can take up to ten times longer on snow and ice. Every technique below is about the same thing: asking the tires for less grip than they have.

Before a skid: how to drive so it doesn’t happen

Do this	Why	Source
Drive well below the limit	Stopping can take up to 10x longer; you can be ticketed under the limit	Michigan State Police
Add about 10 seconds of following distance	Room to stop gently instead of hard	AAA Washington, NHTSA
Cruise control off	It keeps adding power when a tire slips	Michigan State Police, AAA Washington
Brake, turn, accelerate one at a time	Combining them asks more grip than the tires have	Consumer Reports
Brake early and gently	Locked wheels slide	Consumer Reports, NHTSA
Signal earlier than usual	Gives drivers behind time to slow down	Michigan State Police
Stay in the clearest lane	Avoid crossing ridges of built-up snow	AAA Washington

What to do if your car skids

First, in every skid: take your foot off the gas, don’t stomp the brake, and look where you want to go, not at what you’re afraid of hitting. Your hands follow your eyes (AAA Hoosier).

Back end sliding out (rear-wheel skid, oversteer)

The back of the car swings toward the outside of a turn, or the car starts to rotate.

Ease off the accelerator (Michigan State Police, Consumer Reports).
Steer the way the rear is sliding, which is toward where you want the front of the car to go (Michigan State Police, AAA Hoosier).
Use small, smooth corrections. Over-correcting can whip the car into a slide the other way (Michigan State Police).
As the car straightens, straighten the wheel. It may swing back once or twice; keep correcting gently (AAA Hoosier).

Front plowing straight ahead (front-wheel skid, understeer)

You turn the wheel and the car keeps going straight.

Ease off the gas or brake. Don’t turn the wheel further; it doesn’t help (Consumer Reports).
Straighten the wheel slightly so the front tires can grip again (Consumer Reports).
When you feel the steering bite, steer gently where you want to go (AAA Hoosier). AAA notes this skid is easier to correct than a rear-wheel skid.

If you need to stop now

ABS (anti-lock brakes): press hard and hold. Pulsing, buzzing and a shuddering pedal are the system working; don’t let up (NHTSA, Consumer Reports, Michigan State Police). You can steer while holding the brake.
No ABS (older cars): squeeze the brake to just short of locking. If you feel the wheels lock, ease off slightly and reapply (AAA Washington, NHTSA).
Over about 25 mph, AAA Washington says steering around an obstacle is usually better than braking.

Not sure if you have ABS? Check the owner’s manual. If the ABS warning light stays on while you drive, anti-lock braking is off and the wheels can lock; see ABS light on.

Where ice hides

Bridges and overpasses, which freeze before other surfaces (National Weather Service).
Ramps, shaded stretches and anywhere right after a sudden temperature drop (Michigan State Police).
Black ice: a thin, nearly invisible layer that makes the road look wet (Michigan State Police).

AWD and 4WD don’t help you stop

All-wheel and four-wheel drive help you accelerate, but Consumer Reports says they give no advantage while braking or cornering, and Michigan State Police warn that drivers in AWD vehicles often don’t notice how slick it is until they try to stop. Tires are the bigger lever: in Tire Rack’s October 2026 test, an all-season tire needed about 18 more feet than a winter tire to stop from just 12 mph on ice. See do you need winter tires and when to replace tires. Cold air also drops tire pressure, so check it when temperatures fall (Consumer Reports).

Hills

Leave enough room ahead that you won’t have to stop on the way up, build a little speed before the climb, and don’t power up it. At the top, slow down and go down slowly with as little braking as possible (AAA Washington).

If you end up off the road

Stay buckled, put the hazards on, and call 911 if anyone is hurt or the car is in a travel lane. If you’re stuck in snow, see how to get your car unstuck; if you’re stranded waiting for help, the winter car emergency kit page covers staying warm and avoiding carbon monoxide.

Common follow-up questions

What does "steer into the skid" actually mean?

It means steer the way the back of the car is sliding, which is the same as steering toward where you want the car to go. Michigan State Police put it as "steer in the same direction the rear of your car is sliding," and AAA says to look at and steer toward your path down the road. Use small, smooth corrections; a big jerk of the wheel can start a skid the other way.

What if the car slides straight ahead when I turn the wheel?

That's a front-wheel skid (understeer). Don't keep turning the wheel. Ease off the gas or brake, straighten the wheel a little so the front tires can grip again, then steer gently where you want to go (Consumer Reports, AAA Hoosier).

Should I pump the brakes on ice?

Not if your car has ABS, which almost every modern car does. Press firmly and hold; the system pulses the brakes for you, and pumping defeats it (NHTSA, Consumer Reports). Pump or squeeze-brake only in an older car without ABS. Check the owner's manual or look for an ABS light on the dash at startup.

Does ABS help me stop faster on ice?

No. ABS keeps the wheels from locking so you can still steer while braking, but it won't shorten your stopping distance on ice (Michigan State Police). That's why speed and following distance matter most.

Does AWD or 4WD make ice safe?

No. All-wheel and four-wheel drive help you get moving, but Consumer Reports says they give no advantage while braking or cornering, and Michigan State Police say they're just as hard to stop and turn on winter roads. Tires do more; see whether you need winter tires.

How can I tell if there's black ice?

Usually you can't until you're on it. It's a thin, clear layer that makes the road look wet (Michigan State Police). Assume it's there on bridges, overpasses, ramps and shaded stretches when temperatures are near or below freezing, especially right after a sudden drop.

Is it safe to use cruise control on snowy or icy roads?

No. If a tire loses grip, cruise control keeps applying power to hold your speed, which can turn a small slip into a skid (Michigan State Police). Keep it off until the roads are dry.

How do I drive up and down an icy hill?

Leave enough room ahead so you don't have to stop on the climb, build a little momentum before the hill, and don't power up it. At the top, slow down and go down slowly with as little braking as possible (AAA Washington). If it looks too slick to stop at the bottom, find another route.

Sources

General information only, not a diagnosis. Your owner’s manual comes first. How we write these