Skidding - Four Wheel Skid
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This is when all four wheels lose their grip with the road and is usually caused by too harsh or too sudden braking causing the wheels to lock and so slide over the surface. This is the type of skid one usually gets into if you are doing the emergency stop incorrectly. You know you are in a four wheel skid by loss of steering control, noise (scuffing or screeching) and, surprisingly, a sensation of increase in the vehicle's speed.
To regain control use ‘cadence’ braking. Cadence braking effectively means pumping the brake pedal. In other words, as soon as you feel or hear the skid, release the pedal then very quickly put it down again (perhaps a little less firmly than the first time) - do this several times in quick succession until the car has come to a stop.
It may appear odd to release the brakes when you are trying to stop quickly. But the car stops most quickly when the brakes are pressed just firmly enough not to cause the wheels to stop turning while the car is still moving. A skidding car takes longer to stop and, even more importantly, causes loss of steering control. If you can steer, you may be able to avoid whatever it is that's causing you to brake heavily by steering around it.
