If you have a newer car, it probably has an ABS, or anti-lock braking system. These are valuable systems that can prevent many types of common crashes. If you’re considering buying a car and don’t know whether or not to ask for this feature, here are some reasons that you should.
It Reduces Braking Distances
Under certain circumstances, ABS can help to reduce your braking distance. They do this by preventing brake lock, which is a very bad situation for anyone who needs to stop in a hurry. When your brakes lock up, it means that you’re not in control of your vehicle. It’s essentially sliding and your ability to control the vehicle is seriously compromised.
ABS does a great job of reducing braking distance on slippery roads. The brakes will not lock up, so you don’t have to worry about the brakes compounding the difficulty these conditions present to driving at all.
Pumping the Brakes
If you’re old enough to remember before these systems were available, you may have been taught to pump brakes when you needed to stop quickly. This was a manual action that literally involved pumping the brake lever with your foot. It could prevent brake lock, maintain traction and allow you to stop more quickly and in a more controlled fashion than you can if your brakes are locked.
ABS does this automatically. When you apply the brakes, you don’t’ have to pump. The brakes pump themselves, so you don’t have to worry about them locking up on you. This requires a different driving technique, however. You’ll have to actually press down continuously on the brake pedal, which may mean learning a different reflex than you would have been taught if you took driver’s end a long time ago.
You’ll notice that ABS feels different than regular brakes. It feels like the brake pedal is vibrating or twitching slightly. This is normal and to be expected. When you do hit the brakes hard, you might feel the pedal give way. This is also normal. If you have doubts, however, you should bring your car into a mechanic.
Remember that your braking distance is determined by your speed and the road conditions. ABS brakes can help you stop faster by allowing you to maintain control of the vehicle, but they cannot overcome the laws of physics, so slow down on slipper roads.
If you’ve been hit by a negligent driver, contact an attorney for Texas car accident help.
