Perfecting car braking skills for women

When women drive, stepping on the gas to make the car go faster is quite simple. But how to stop that heavy iron block safely is not easy. Especially for women, who often lose their composure in unexpected situations?

Your car is equipped with many active and passive safety systems to help protect passengers in all collisions. But before having to rely on those modern and expensive devices, it is better for you to know how to brake safely. This is essential for women to remember before deciding whether to start with a 4-wheel vehicle or not.

Ladies remember: Braking is a journey.

Imagine, your car is running at 80 km/h, each second you will move about 22 meters. However, to stop that car, it will take you more than 2.5 seconds and the braking distance is about 30 meters. That is just in theory, in reality there are many things that affect the braking process, making the braking distance much longer.

It takes about 3/4 of a second for you to realize the problem and your brain to “send the command”. Another 3/4 of a second for your foot to move from the accelerator to the brake. That means you’ve traveled 100 feet by the time your brakes kick in, and 200 feet from the moment you notice the problem to the moment the car stops, which is twice the length of a tennis court. And the faster you go, the greater the braking distance.

In addition, many road surface factors will also affect the braking process. In bad weather, your braking distance can increase many times. If the road surface is wet, it can take up to 6.5 seconds to stop the car and the braking distance is up to nearly 100m. This is equivalent to the braking distance of your car when traveling at a speed of 120 km/h in dry road conditions.

Some things to remember for women to brake gently and absolutely safely

Rain or shine is God's business, but changing your driving skills is always in your hands, to help you be safer on the road.

1. Use the right type of tire for the specific road conditions. Using the right type of tire will improve handling and ensure optimal braking distance. Regular tires for asphalt will be less effective on complex, slippery terrain or even snow or sand.

2. Keep your distance from other vehicles. Always follow the “3-second” rule when driving on the road. If the weather is bad, increase this distance to ensure safety and avoid the risk of collision.

3. Consider the inertia. A heavier vehicle means a longer braking distance. More specifically, pickup trucks and SUVs tend to brake much harder than sedans. However, this also depends on the braking system's capabilities. Even small cars have long braking distances due to their small brake discs.

4. If you are driving a truck or SUV, consider your speed in bad weather. These vehicles have a much higher center of gravity than other vehicles, so the risk of rolling over is much higher than other vehicles when emergency braking is required.

5. You should choose vehicles equipped with anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic brake force distribution (EBD). ABS helps the wheels to be continuously braked and released to prevent locking and wheel slippage, thereby minimizing the braking distance. In addition, disc brakes are always better than drum brakes due to their better heat dissipation, minimizing the possibility of brake locking or brake surface wear.

How should women learn to brake?

Except in case of emergency, you should check your rearview mirror before braking if you do not want your car to be flat on its butt due to sudden braking. Try to avoid braking on bumpy areas, reduce the throttle and brake before reaching the bumpy area. Otherwise, it is very easy to cause brake failure.

Press the brake pedal firmly and release it when the car shows signs of skidding, then continue to press it again until the car stops completely. It is recommended to combine downshifting during the braking process.

If your vehicle is equipped with ABS, simply apply enough pressure during braking to ensure the ABS system functions as intended.

Conclusion. Try to be proactive when driving on the road, combined with regularly practiced driving skills, the risk is something you can minimize without much difficulty.

According to Otofun