How do front tire skid marks appear?

How do front tire skid marks appear?

• A. Darker on outside and lighter on inside
• B. Lighter on outside and darker on inside
• C. Even color throughout
• D. Not visible

Answer: (A)

When a tire slides, rubber is scraped off and left on the road as a continuous smear. In a front tire skid, the outer edge of the tread tends to transfer more rubber to the pavement than the inner edge, so the imprint appears darker along the outside and lighter toward the inside. Heat from the sliding also darkens the rubber, reinforcing that gradient. So the mark typically shows a darker outer portion with a lighter inner portion, which is why that option reflects what you’d expect to see in front tire skids.

When a tire slides, rubber is scraped off and left on the road as a continuous smear. In a front tire skid, the outer edge of the tread tends to transfer more rubber to the pavement than the inner edge, so the imprint appears darker along the outside and lighter toward the inside. Heat from the sliding also darkens the rubber, reinforcing that gradient. So the mark typically shows a darker outer portion with a lighter inner portion, which is why that option reflects what you’d expect to see in front tire skids.