Question 4948
If you are driving on wet pavement and notice that your vehicle's brakes fail when you brake, what must you do?
- Use engine braking by shifting into higher gears.
- Press the brake pedal all the way down while pressing the clutch at the same time.
- Carefully use the parking brake, applying it gently and gradually until the vehicle comes to a stop.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: Carefully use the parking brake, applying it gently and gradually until the vehicle comes to a stop.
When the foot brake fails, the parking brake can help you stop, as long as you pull it gently and gradually, never suddenly or while going around a curve. On wet pavement, you need to be even more careful, because the wheels lock more easily and the car can skid. Engine braking also helps, but you need to shift into progressively lower gears, since higher gears provide very little engine braking. Pressing an unresponsive brake pedal all the way down does no good, and holding the clutch down also takes away engine braking.