How to brake a car properly?

Whether you’re driving a beat-up Lada or a high-tech Mercedes S-class, not using the right braking techniques will only devalue your car. The brake pedal isn’t like slamming a heavy door, nor is it an on/off switch.

A seasoned driver knows how to use the brakes properly, as the saying goes among professional drivers to new drivers, "not knowing how to use the brakes is a bad driver, using too much brakes is a bad driver". A driver who has mastered the braking system is one who recognizes the influence of speed, weather conditions, road surface... on the time and force of braking.

Whether on the track or on the street, there are three main steps to effective braking. First, start at high speed and apply the brakes quickly, but not abruptly, using too much braking force will cause the wheels to lock or activate the ABS system on vehicles equipped with it.

Use the brake pedal properly to stay safe while maintaining speed.

Second, as the front suspension begins to react to the initial braking phase, learn to feel the vibrations on your feet from the pedal and the feedback to the steering wheel to know if the front tires are controlling the situation well. To help the car stop effectively, the driver must be sensitive and understand the car to know what is happening and adjust the brake pressure accordingly. It is a fact that holding the brake for a long time will make the car take longer to stop and may cause the car to skid. "Adjustment" is an important factor in this phase.

The third step occurs at the end of the braking zone, when the car has slowed to a suitable speed for cornering. A good driver will release the brake pedal, bringing the braking force from maximum to zero. But it is ineffective to release the brake quickly, causing the passengers to jolt. The front suspension and tires of any car are under great pressure when braking, thus increasing traction. If the brakes are suddenly released, traction and inertia can be lost suddenly, making the car unstable when cornering.

During cornering, the car body will be very sensitive to sudden changes in weight distribution. Therefore, careless use of the brake pedal during this process will cause the car to lose balance. Once out of the corner, increase the throttle to continue the journey. That is the basic theory when braking a car, below are the braking techniques to practice.

Threshold braking

Threshold braking is a braking technique commonly used in racing cars, but sometimes it is also used on public roads in many unexpected situations. With this technique, the driver actively applies the brakes to a maximum force and keeps it from exceeding the limit that leads to skidding.

To perform this technique, the driver must practice a lot in high-speed conditions. The best indicator of how much braking force is enough is the vibration of the steering wheel. With a lot of practice, the driver will feel with what kind of steering vibration the car is about to skid.

Brake in rhythm

Cadence braking is a type of braking commonly used when you want to stop a vehicle at high speed without risk. This is also the basic operating principle of the ABS system, which is continuous pressing and releasing. Instead of the ECU controlling the braking system, the driver actively presses and releases the brake pedal at a regular rhythm so that the vehicle gradually stops without locking the wheels due to sudden braking.

Slippery roads require constant braking to avoid skidding.

Although most cars today are equipped with ABS, drivers should still practice this technique to ensure safety, especially when driving at high speed on slippery roads and losing traction.

Brake check

Trail braking is a technique used in racing, both cars and motorcycles, when it is necessary to get through a corner in the shortest possible time. Instead of braking to reduce the speed of the vehicle to a suitable threshold and then releasing the brake when entering the corner, the driver maintains a high speed and starts to apply the brake with a moderate force when entering the corner. At that time, the vehicle still maintains a high speed without losing control.

The brake is held at a constant threshold until the vehicle is safe to exit the corner. To practice this type of braking, the driver must feel the force sufficient to enter the corner safely while still ensuring high speed. With motorcycles, the driver will apply the front brake instead of using the rear brake.

Combined deceleration with braking and gear

This is considered the fastest possible cornering technique that racers apply. For newbies who are not used to high speeds, the following combination of operations can be very complicated to apply.

First, lift your right foot off the accelerator and press the brake pedal; a few seconds before the brake pressure takes effect, depress the clutch pedal; with your right hand, push the gear lever into a lower gear while keeping your left hand on the steering wheel and still maintaining adequate brake pressure; after successfully downshifting, gently slide your right toe to the accelerator, touch lightly and quickly to synchronize the speed between the car and the engine, release the clutch, push your entire right foot to the accelerator and wait for the right moment to accelerate out of the corner.