Why does understeer occur?

What is meant by understeer? This is when the driver at speed tries to turn with the help of turning the steering wheel, but the car starts to skid in a straight line. If the vehicle is not equipped with anti-slip and anti-lock systems, then the problem must be learned to fix on its own.

The understeer is due to the fact that the drive wheels lose traction with the road surface, which leads the car to uncontrolled forward movement. If this happens to you, do not panic. Keep calm, behave correctly and you will regain control of the machine.

What to do in case of demolition?

If you lose control of the vehicle, do not try to turn the steering wheel any further. On the contrary - reduce the angle of rotation and the speed of rotation of the wheels until the tires of the car again begin to cling to the asphalt.

Keep driving at a reduced speed and the car will be in control. If the driver is seriously stressed, you must select the nearest place to stop the car. Stop and take a deep breath.

How to prevent understeer?

You can prevent this problem if you drive at a safe speed and foresee possible turns. A defective suspension can also lead to understeer or oversteer, as poorly functioning shock absorbers can impair wheel grip.

You can check shock absorbers in a simple way. If you push the car strongly from the side and the free swing lasts longer than one or two movements, you should visit the workshop and check the suspension.

Too low air pressure in the front tires can also lead to understeer. Check the pressure every two weeks, and then the grip will be at the proper level. It is worth considering that high pressure can also lead to uncontrolled movement of the car.

Turns are the main enemies of rear-wheel drive

In the case of rear-wheel drive cars on bends, the reverse process often takes place - oversteer. This means that the rear of the car becomes unstable when cornering. You can prevent this problem by providing sufficient air pressure in the rear tires and a safe driving style.

The reason for oversteer is because the steering wheel turns too much at high cornering speeds. In this situation, speed is extremely important to control. However, in the event of a skid, one should not sharply press the brakes, as this leads to a change in load (the body leans forward), as a result of which the car skids even more.

If the car begins to skid during a bend, turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction to the bend. This must be done quickly, but not too much. If the rear of the car is on the right, turn right. If it rolls to the left, turn left to regain control of the machine.

If you want to hone your skills, you can practice safe driving courses or on closed roads in both situations to understand how the car behaves.