Question

when a moving car encounters a patch of ice the brakes are applied. why is it desirable to keep th wheels rolling on the ice without looking up ?

Answer 1

a skidding tire that has locked up entirely has the same resistance to motion in every direction, which means that turning the steering wheel won't change the direction of motion of the car. (direction of motion: the direction or way the car is moving.) losing control of the direction of motion means that you cannot follow the curve of the road or take action to avoid an obstacle as you apply the brakes to reduce your speed. you're more likely to have a bad accident with the tires locked up.