Six tips to survive driving emergencies from professional women racers

Regardless of whether you just got your driver's license within the last few years, or whether you've been driving since cassette players were standard equipment, automotive accidents and driving emergencies are difficult to prepare for. Being a good driver means knowing how to respond to the unexpected, so we asked the female athletes on TrueCar's "Women Empowered" racing team to share some tips to help drivers stay safe on the road when a driving emergency strikes -- after all, who knows better how to handle driving emergencies than professional racecar drivers who must be prepared to face them at high-speeds and under intense pressure?

#1 What To Do If Your Car Is Hydroplaning, Or Skidding Out Of Control
Verena Mei, Rally America, says:
Hydroplaning happens on wet surfaces when water accumulates in front of a car's tires, creating a layer of water between the rubber of the tires and the road's surface that reduces traction and makes it difficult to control the car. Your first priority is to carefully slow the vehicle down so you can regain control of the car. As with any driving emergency, keep a firm grip on the steering wheel and stay calm. Ease your foot off the gas and carefully steer your car in the direction of the road. Do this until the car slows and you can feel your tires on the ground again. Avoid sudden acceleration, braking, or steering inputs, which may only cause the car to slip (hydroplane) more.

If the back wheels hydroplane, the car's rear may fishtail or veer sideways into a skid, possibly causing you to spin. Steer in the direction of the skid until the rear tires stop hydroplaning and come in contact with the ground again, and then gently steer in the opposite direction to straighten out your vehicle.

To reduce the chance of hydroplaning, try to drive in the tire tracks left by the cars in front of you. These techniques can also help maintain traction when driving on snowy roads.

What does Verena drive?
On the race course: #335 TrueCar 2011 Ford Fiesta
On the road: Subaru Impreza

#2 What To Do If Your Car Stalls While You’re Driving
Shea Holbrook, Pirelli World Challenge, says:
It can be frightening if your car stalls while you're driving, as you may lose power steering and braking. Keep in mind these systems DO still function, but you will have to work harder to use them. Stay calm and focused, turn on your flashers, and try to restart the vehicle while the vehicle is still moving.

If it won't restart, use your car's forward momentum to help you roll to the side of the road and park off the shoulder or out of the way of traffic. If you can't make it to the side of the road, stay in your car (you definitely don't want to be out of your car in moving traffic!) and call 911 to get an emergency crew to help block traffic and move you off the road.
 
What does Shea drive?
On the race course: #67 TrueCar 2012 Honda Civic Si
On the road: Audi A4