Oversteer and understeer are two driving dynamics that can happen when you drive a car. Both can be very dangerous, but in this post from Porter Chevrolet in Newark, DE, we will only talk about the difference between the two. Oversteering is when your vehicle turns or moves too much in one direction, usually due to an excessive amount of steering input by the driver. Understeering is when your vehicle doesn't turn enough in response to turning input from the driver's wheel/handles, so it continues on its original course without any change in direction.
Oversteer and understeer dynamics can be observed in many vehicles. They typically happen when a car is entering or leaving a corner, but sometimes even during general driving on the road. When talking about oversteer and understeer we are usually referring to front-wheel-drive cars, though all-wheel drive cars are affected as well.
The oversteer and understeer have a lot of similarities when it comes to physics, which is why they are often confused with one another. If you watch a drunk person walking down the street, you can see both understeering and oversteering in action at the same time.