What’s the Difference Between Oversteer and Understeer?

If you've ever taken a driving lesson, then you might have heard the terms oversteer and understeer. But what do they mean? And why are they important to car enthusiasts? This article from Dallas Collision Center will answer all your questions about these two steering techniques. Oversteering is when an automobile's front wheels turn more than its rear wheels. Understeering is when the opposite happens - it occurs when the rear wheels turn greater than the front wheels.

A car is said to understeer when it does not turn enough while oversteering is when the car turns more than it should. This puts extra stress on the tires and can result in loss of control or even a collision with another vehicle or obstacle in Dallas, TX. Oversteering often happens due to poor tire grip, harsh acceleration or braking, low tire pressure, high speed, sharp steering angles, and road surfaces with uneven patches.

Understeering is when the rear wheels of a car turn more than its front tires. Oversteer is when the front tires turn more than the back wheels. When this happens, it can result in loss of control and a crash. Causes of understeering include excess speed, harsh acceleration or braking, low tire pressure, and road surfaces with uneven patches. Oversteer is caused by tires that have too much grip for the car's handling characteristics - so if the car swings its rear out when cornering it has oversteer.