Originally invented for aircraft in the 1920s, anti-lock brakes are a mainstay on the modern police car. An incredible piece of safety technology, anti-lock brakes permit drivers to slow a vehicle at the optimum rate without skidding. Here are some tips on how to use them.
First, determine if your car has anti-lock brakes. If it does, you should know how they work prior to an emergency situation. Go to a parking lot or a training facility, accelerate to 30 mph and press your brakes hard to get the anti-lock brakes to engage.
Generally, you'll feel a pulsating or vibration in the brake pedal when your vehicle's anti-lock brake system (ABS) is engaged.
Drivers should engage their brakes when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line. ABS will enable the tires to remain rolling to avoid skidding. Once the weight transfer of hard braking stabilizes, you can turn the car out of the direction of the obstacle without lifting your foot off the brake.
Over time, continued hard use of the brakes can cause overheating, otherwise known as "brake fade." This can happen in long pursuits or emergency runs. Braking should be controlled and constant to avoid brake fade. Anti-lock brakes will not prevent every skid. Tires have limits on the amount of force they can exert on the road, and every curve has a critical speed the driver should not exceed. ABS is a great safety feature, but can't prevent tragedy if you're reckless. It can never make up for poor judgment or bad techniques. Stay safe, and always drive to survive.
