2.7K
The ability to brake effectively is an important element of safe driving! This may not only save lives, prevent injury but also reduce car insurance claims!
On the Arrive Alive website we find detailed information on Road Safety and Safe Braking and we would like to share some of this information:
Advice and Tips on Braking Safely
We would like to share advice and suggestions with drivers on how to brake safely:
- ‘Normal’ Braking: Under normal circumstances (on a dry and relatively clear road), you should be able to brake early and apply gentle pressure to the brakes. As you feel the vehicle begin to stop, apply a little more pressure, but ease off as you come to a full stop so that you do not stop too abruptly.
- Emergency Braking: If an unexpected situation arises that requires you to stop, you should brake straight away, but try to avoid braking too sharply, as this can cause your wheels to lock up and your vehicle to skid. With ABS, depress the pedal all the way down. Without ABS, brake moderately hard (70%) while taking off a bit of steering. It’s always better to brake too much rather than too little. In a real emergency, it’s best to simply stamp on the brake pedal and let the car stop.
- Braking in Bad Weather: If the road is wet or icy, you will usually need to alter your braking technique. This is particularly the case in icy conditions. It is extremely easy to lose control when taking a bend. The safest way to negotiate it is to brake gently on the straight leading up to a bend, so that you are travelling slowly when you reach the bend. Avoid braking sharply as this can lead to a skid. If you are worried about the grip (or lack of it) on the road, you can test it by braking gently to gauge the effectiveness. Do not leave it until just before a bend to test the brakes, as you will not have enough time to dry them out before you need to break.
- Braking after driving through water: If you have to drive through a considerable amount of water, your brakes can lose their effectiveness for a while afterwards. Test the brakes by braking gently to see if they work properly, but make sure that you do this only when it is safe to do so. If you find that they do not work as effectively as normal, apply light pressure to the brakes while you are driving at a fairly slow pace, as this will dry them out.
- Braking and Turning /Changing Direction: Avoid braking and turning at the same time where possible. Turning while on the brakes can cause the vehicle to not turn as well or not slow down as much.
- Brake-Turning: Turning the wheel into the corner while still lightly on the brakes. This causes the car to lean forward, pressing the front tires to the ground, giving them more grip for steering. This is a basic technique, and no corner should be made without it.
- Trail Braking: This is a method of feathering the brakes while turning into the corner and it will provide the best and safest control over the vehicle as it is leaning on the front tyres, allowing for more traction to those tyres.
Drivers are advised in an emergency to focus on where you want to go, and not on what you want to avoid. It’s very difficult to steer away from something that you’re looking at directly, and many people have a tendency to focus on what they are worried about colliding with. Instead, concentrate on where you want the car to go (to the side of the object) and pay attention to how the car responds.
Also view:
- Following Distances and Road Safety
- Stopping Distances for Trucks and Road Safety
- Stopping Sight and Driver Reaction Time
- Vehicle maintenance and safety guide to roadworthiness of vehicles
Also view for Brake Safety the Guide to vehicle provided by AutoZone:
- Replacing the Brake Discs
- Replacing the Brake Drums
- Replacing the Brake Pads
- Replacing the Brake Shoes
View the below video of Collision Warning with Emergency Brakes as tested by Volvo Trucks
