When you need to slow down, brake the right way for improved safety and comfort
The obvious first thing we learn as new drivers after pulling away for the first time is braking to a stop again. By definition, braking is pressing the brake pedal to slow down, but learning how to brake properly is not always so simple. Simply slamming on the brakes brings you to a sudden, screeching halt - which will likely cause chaos around you.
There are a few things to think about when it comes to braking correctly. For example, stopping a vehicle with good brakes is easy, but how do you have to modify your brake technique in an old car without ABS? You might have heard it said that the most effective way to utilize ABS brakes is to stomp on the pedal, but is that true? Let's explore these questions in more detail.
We know that the brake pedal slows us down, but how do car brakes work? A car's braking system uses friction materials to press against the rotating disc or drum attached to a wheel. As Newton's first law states, an object's momentum is maintained unless acted upon by another force. In this case, that force is the friction of the brake pad, which slows the car down. How long it takes to stop depends on our reaction time and how hard we press the brake. The total stopping distance includes reaction time plus braking time.
An ABS, or anti-lock braking system, works on the same concept, only modified slightly. If traditional brakes are applied too hard, for too long, they may lock up. This causes a dangerous situation where the car can skid and slide uncontrollably. In order to prevent this, an ABS system monitors how fast the wheels are rotating in relation to one another and applies the brakes in pulses to slow the vehicle down more controllably. This can often be felt through the brake pedal, and actually provides much better stopping distance compared to standard brakes.
In modern cars with ABS, pumping the brakes to stop in time as we did on old cars is no longer necessary. That technique used to entail rapidly stepping on and lifting off the brake, and the idea was to minimize lock-up and maintain a measure of directional stability under heavy braking. The whole point of ABS systems is to do away with the need for this while preventing the uncontrollable skids of wheel lock. Read all abouthow ABS brakes work here.
How to brake smoothly and efficiently for the comfort of our passengers and for the safety of other road users is important and holds the following advantages:
In addition to ourguide to beginner's driving tips, the right braking technique encompasses these steps:
In an emergency, if you have ABS on your car, the best way to use the brake system is to stomp on the pedal as hard as you can. There is no danger of the wheels locking and your stopping distance will be as short as possible. In an older car without ABS, see the FAQs for steps on controlled braking. On long downhills, downshift to one of the lower gears, so your engine can assist with braking. This helps reduce the risk of your brakes overheating.
With these useful hints, you can drive and brake more smoothly and give both your car and passengers an easier time. It is important to know your car and its safety systems, such as the characteristic pulsing action of ABS that you can feel through the pedal when it activates, as well as modern conveniences such as electronic park brakes - and how to activate and use them. The onus is always upon the driver to ensure that their car is secure in any type of driving or parking situation.
电动汽车的Hyundai Kona ElectricandAudi e-tronhave a regenerative braking mode for using the electric motors to slow down the car instead of the wheel brakes. The motors act as generators to put some charge back into the battery pack. The driver is often unaware of the process, as it happens automatically when the brake is used. Some EVs' regenerative braking is so strong that low-speed trips can be completed without even using the friction brakes. You can learn more abouthow electric cars work and the benefits of regenerative braking here.
Make gradual movements, not sudden ones. Lift your foot slowly off the accelerator to prevent a jolt and pay attention to the squeezing phase of pressing the brake - that initial phase where the brakes 'bite'. A soft initial squeeze followed by more pressure after braking has started will produce the smoothest result.
Covering the brake means that you lift your foot off the accelerator and position it over the brake - without touching it - in anticipation of braking. You should always cover your brake when there are potential hazards in your vicinity. It ensures that your reaction time is shorter and eliminates the delay of moving your foot from the accelerator to the brake in a situation that might call for suddenly applying your brakes while driving.
控制制动-制动或阈值是1of the braking techniques one must learn in old cars without an anti-lock braking system (ABS). This entails pressing the brake firmly without locking up the wheels. Since this point can be difficult to judge on varying surfaces, controlled braking further extends to mean that, if the wheels lock anyway, the driver must back off the brake and quickly press it again in quick succession to stop with the minimum of wheel lockup. This is essentially mimicking what ABS does automatically and is called pumping the brakes.