If your vehicle leaves the pavement and drops two wheels onto a soft shoulder at highway speed, what should you do?

If you drift onto the shoulder, do not panic-steer back. Hold the steering wheel firmly to maintain control, ease off the accelerator, stay off the brake unless you absolutely must use it, and let the vehicle slow naturally to roughly 20 mph. When ready, check your mirrors and steer back onto the pavement at a gentle angle. Sharp steering at highway speed to climb back onto pavement causes the tires to catch the edge of the asphalt and can fling the vehicle into the opposite lane or roll it. Slamming the brakes on a mixed surface (one wheel on pavement, one on dirt) causes the vehicle to pull violently to the side with more traction. The keys are: stay calm, slow gradually, and reenter the road slowly.