What causes yaw?

What causes yaw?

• A. When front tires lock
• B. When back tires go outside the front tires
• C. When tires are underinflated
• D. When steering wheel is straight

Answer: (B)

Yaw is the rotation of the vehicle around its vertical axis, caused when the rear of the car slides out relative to the front during a turn. This happens when the rear tires lose grip and move outward past the front tires, so the car pivots and begins to rotate—the rear end swings outward and the car yaws. In other words, oversteer where the back tires slide outward creates that yaw motion. The other scenarios don’t define yaw as clearly. Locking the front tires can lead to a skid and loss of steering control, but it isn’t the yaw rotation caused by oversteer. Underinflated tires affect stability and handling, but yaw isn’t defined by that condition alone. With the steering wheel straight, the vehicle isn’t turning, so yaw isn’t occurring.

Yaw is the rotation of the vehicle around its vertical axis, caused when the rear of the car slides out relative to the front during a turn. This happens when the rear tires lose grip and move outward past the front tires, so the car pivots and begins to rotate—the rear end swings outward and the car yaws. In other words, oversteer where the back tires slide outward creates that yaw motion.

The other scenarios don’t define yaw as clearly. Locking the front tires can lead to a skid and loss of steering control, but it isn’t the yaw rotation caused by oversteer. Underinflated tires affect stability and handling, but yaw isn’t defined by that condition alone. With the steering wheel straight, the vehicle isn’t turning, so yaw isn’t occurring.