6 Things You Should Know about your cars braking system

While there are many drivers on the roads nowadays, one unfortunate truth is that, whether we like it or not, not all of us know how to apply our brakes correctly. It's frightening to confront this fact, knowing that some accidents are caused by drivers miscalculating their following lengths and braking distances.

To assist you to prevent such tragedies, you should learn how to correctly brake and when to press your brake pedal.

A roller brake tester is used to verify the efficiency and balance of brakes on the road. The brake pads and discs of a car are examined during an MOT test. You will be recommended to replace your brake pads if they are less than 3mm thick. However, the legal maximum is 1.5mm, and if your brake pads are less than this, your MOT will fail.

While technological developments have made vehicles easier to operate and far safer than before, nothing beats a good and skilled driver. Now that that's out of the way, there are a few things you should know about braking like a professional:

1. Don't slam on the brakes if you don't have to

It indicates that you aren't paying attention to the road. If you have to slam on the brakes to avoid colliding with the vehicle in front of you, you're definitely going too close or too quickly. As a result, you must be aware of the distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. According to research, a motorist in a life-or-death emergency would require around one and a half seconds to react. It's also worth noting that a contemporary automobile with the best braking system and tyres will need at least seven metres per second squared (7 m/s2). Aside from the required speed and distance, the road condition has a significant impact on the efficiency of your brakes. So, if you want to prevent an accident, defensive driving is definitely your best chance. When booking your car in with a car garage in Reading for service, request the mechanic to complete a health check on the braking system and repair what is required.

2. Brake slowly and steadily

As previously said, even with contemporary technologies like ABS, slamming the brakes abruptly may be dangerous. With that in mind, some individuals forget how to correctly apply the brakes, causing them to instinctively (and sometimes unintentionally) apply excessive pressure to the pedals. However, this behaviour endangers their own safety, as well as the safety of their passengers and other drivers on the road. To brake smoothly, keep in mind that you should apply light pressure at first, gradually increasing it until the car comes to a complete stop. Applying severe braking forces is inconvenient, especially for your passengers, since it will throw them forward. You might potentially wind up destroying your rear end if the driver behind you has slow reflexes and cannot react quickly enough. Not only that, but you're wearing down the brake system components quicker than usual, needing frequent appointments to your local garage in Reading .

3. We propose only braking with your right foot

Know that the left foot is just for the clutch pedal, whether you're driving a manual or an automatic vehicle. Unless you're a fully certified or professional racing driver, you'll never need to use your left foot to brake. If you're driving an automatic vehicle, keep your left foot on the footrest, sometimes known as the dead pedal. It's the non-movable black raised plastic or metal step on the left-hand side.Do you recall tip number two? Brake gently and calmly. Also, when transferring from an automatic to a manual vehicle, there's a good possibility you'll confuse the brake pedal for the clutch, and vice versa.

4. Skidding can occur if you floor the brake pedals

Another reason to avoid slamming on the brake pedals is the risk of skidding. Sudden braking may cause the wheels to lock, resulting in skidding. When you lose control of your vehicle, it begins to skid down the road. A wet road has a larger danger of sliding, but it does not rule out the possibility of it happening on a dry road. If you skid out of the unavoidable quick stopping, don't slam on the brakes too hard. Instead of panicking, let go of the brake pedal and steer in the direction of your skidding. This will give you more control than if you try to combat it by braking even harder.

5. Water, of course, has an impact on your braking system

Wet roads are slick because the friction between your tyres and the road is reduced. This is why driving rapidly in the rain is dangerous and should not be attempted by all drivers, whether experienced or inexperienced. Another impact of water is that it reduces the effectiveness of your brakes. Wet brake pads will result from flooding, which can lengthen your stopping distance, especially at higher speeds. Once you've passed past a flooded area of the road, softly and repeatedly pump your brakes at a modest speed. This will dry up your brake pads, allowing you to use them more efficiently when they are needed.

6. Speed increases braking distance

It goes without saying that a quicker vehicle will take more time to come to a complete stop. Apart from speed, friction between the tyres and the road, incline, and the vehicle's air drag all have a role.