closeup of tire in snow
Your best defense against snow are good strong treaded tires

What Happens When Traction Vanishes?

This incredible video highlights real-life moments of tires losing grip on a variety of slippery surfaces—ranging from deceptively dry pavement to sheer ice. It’s a must-watch for anyone looking to truly understand the limits of vehicle control.

Key Takeaways:

  1. No Traction = No Control
    • When your tires lose grip, steering and braking become meaningless. So, the big question is: What do you do?
  2. Conditions Can Fool You
    • You’ll see everything from high-speed skids to surprising slides at super slow speeds. Even a truck equipped with tire chains struggles to maintain control—proving that no one is immune to the physics of momentum.
  3. The Science Behind the Slide
    • Momentum is the game-changer here. Your vehicle’s weight and speed combine to create unstoppable force when traction is gone. The only way to beat momentum? Understand it, prepare for it, and respect it.
  4. Go With the Flow
    • Fighting against momentum often makes things worse. Knowing when to go with it—and how to recover—can mean the difference between staying on the road or landing in a ditch.

Why This Video Matters

It’s more than just amazing to watch. It’s a wake-up call. These scenes show what happens when we underestimate road conditions or overestimate our control. Don’t wait to learn the “how” and “why” of handling traction loss—equip yourself with knowledge before you face it.

📹 Watch, Learn, Prepare. This is the type of lesson every driver needs to see.

TERMS YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • momentum
  • gravity
  • traction
  • braking skid
  • power skid
  • Steering with the momentum
  • steering against the momentum
  • limits and when to stay home
  • four-wheel drives versus rear-wheel driver versus front-wheel drives
  • fishtailing
  • all-wheel drift
  • wheels on snow, in deeper snow, on packed snow, down to the pavement, off travelled portion o the roadways
  • chains rules laws limits weather forecasts
  • hills and corners and momentum
  • when braking helps
  • when braking harms
  • staying out of this kind of trouble

The most critical thing to learn is that you never want this kind of NO TRACTION or SKID to occur. But they do. SO it is best to be prepared today!

Excellent Skid Examples

TERMS YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • momentum
  • gravity
  • traction
  • braking skid
  • power skid
  • Steering with the momentum
  • steering against the momentum
  • limits and when to stay home
  • four-wheel drives versus rear-wheel driver versus front-wheel drives
  • fishtailing
  • all-wheel drift
  • wheels on snow, in deeper snow, on packed snow, down to the pavement, off travelled portion o the roadways
  • chains rules laws limits weather forecasts
  • hills and corners and momentum
  • when braking helps
  • when braking harms
  • staying out of this kind of trouble

The most critical thing to learn is that you never want this kind of NO TRACTION or SKID to occur. But they do. SO it is best to be prepared today!

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STATEMENT OF LIMITATION

Materials presented here are for education purposes only referencing two ICBC materials,Tuning Up Drivers Manual, Learn To Drive Right Manual, training material from the 3 week Driving Instructors Licensing Program and amterials from the GLP classroom certificate Program.

IHaveEvolved.com and Todd Cooper are not responsible for any consequences that may result from use of this material. Throughout these posts references are made to acts and regulations that govern driving in British Columbia.

In the event of a difference between the material here and any of these acts or regulations, the acts and regulations shall apply. For specifc help related to these acts please refer to a professional lawyer or a police office.