At one time or another, virtually all drivers have encountered something surprising in the roadway. This may be a patch of ice, an animal, a pothole or anything else. While most cars are capable of safely maneuvering around unexpected objects, drivers may tend to overcorrect.
Overcorrection, sometimes called oversteering, happens when a driver turns the steering more than necessary for a specific situation. While it is possible to recover from overcorrection without incident, overcorrecting also may lead to a catastrophic rollover or another type of serious car accident.
Overcorrection factors
According to a recent study, age often plays a role in overcorrection. Specifically, younger drivers may be more prone to overcorrecting than their older counterparts. Other factors may also contribute to overcorrection, though. These include the following:
- Driver fatigue
- Driver drowsiness
- Driver illness
- Vehicle speed
- Weather conditions
Overcorrection prevention
If you are a parent, teaching the young drivers in your family about the dangers of overcorrection may help to keep them safe. Likewise, you probably want to expose teenage drivers to different driving conditions so you can coach them through safe vehicle recovery.
To prevent overcorrection yourself, you should comply with posted speed limits and pay attention to your personal well-being. Put simply, if you are not physically and mentally capable of controlling your vehicle, it is wise to stay off the road.
Even though you can take steps to prevent an overcorrection accident, you have no control over how other drivers respond. Ultimately, if you suffer a serious injury due to someone else’s overcorrection, you may be eligible for substantial financial compensation from the driver who caused both the accident and your injuries.
