You also turn a different direction with a FWD than a RWD. Says my DMV manual from 20 years ago.
I don't like those overly general statements either. If they didn't go further to explain when to slow down to move weight forward vs. when to add gas gently to regain control then it's still only right 50% of the time.
In fact, the only reason they teach new drivers to "let up and turn into a skid" is because they think that the average person will not have the skill to recover from a skid and is more likely to oversteer and create a dangerous fish tailing experience that is more likely to take down a half a dozen other cars with them.
What they don't tell you is why they tell you to do that. Turning into a skid without adding gas will almost certainly put you into a tight doughnut spin. If the road is snowy, or dirt or something that can add a bit of friction, the idea is that by the time you flip around backwards, the going sideways then backwards against your wheel direction will bring to a complete stop very quickly and maybe even without you even leaving your lane.
On slippery ice though, you just become a spinning Bey Blade Warrior. Now you still have you momentum and you'r a 1/4 ton circular saw blade.
In most cases, I prefer to try and recover or at least control my skid. I may have to make a decision at some point to hit the ditch vs. oncoming traffic but at least it remains my choice. Key word, of course, is "try". I don't claim to be a master driver. I just prefer to try verses give up.
