Emergency stop

It is important that you react quickly in an emergency. As soon as you see the danger, you need to brake firmly. Follow the rule of progressive braking, but unlike a normal stop, you will not need to ease off the footbrake as the vehicle stops. Leave the clutch pedal alone until just before stopping. This aids braking and also provides the vehicle with more stability. By leaving the clutch pedal alone until the last moment, the engine will help the car to slow down. You will also reduce the chances of skidding, as the drive wheels are less likely to lock if they are still being "driven" by the engine. Whilst braking, keep both hands on the steering wheel.

The braking force will throw extra weight to the front wheels and you will find the car more difficult to steer. You may need to steer, either to recover from a skid, or to avoid injuring another road user. You should not apply the handbrake whilst the car is moving. The handbrake should only be applied in an emergency on the move, if the footbrake has failed.

The handbrake only operates on the back two wheels and the additional use of the handbrake may well cause a skid. It should therefore be left alone. A signal should not be given, nor is it necessary to make a special point of looking in the mirror.

If you have been driving sensibly and well, you should know what is behind you in any event. Saving the life of a road user ahead of you is of prime importance.

Skidding

Check your owners manual to see if your car is fitted with Anti-Lock brakes (Or ABS for short) they have four sensors, one for each wheel. It prevents wheels from locking in a emergency braking situation. You may feel a vibration anti-lock system at work, if you feel this don't let go of the brake. They give vehicle stability and stopping distance is sometimes decreased, with the advantage of being able to steer at the same time. However, ABS can in some cases can cause longer stopping distances, like in snow. So don't drive aggressively relying on them to help you stop.

Skids don't just happen, the driver acting inappropriately for the conditions causes them. The factors involved in a skid in order of importance are the driver, the vehicle and the road. Even when braking in good conditions, a driver must be aware that trying to stop the car in less than the minimum braking distance shown in The Highway Code will result in a skid.

In an emergency there are many things to consider and in a split second, e.g. is the road dry, is it wet, is it a loose surface, is it icy, do i know my vehicle well and know how much brake pressure to apply, are my tyres in good condition? By knowing your vehicle and being constantly aware of the road surface, you should be able to lessen the risk of causing a skid.

If too much pressure is applied to the brake pedal the wheels will lock (without ABS fitted) and the car will slide along the road, sometimes to one side. With the wheels locked, the brakes aren't working so it can take longer to stop.

To correct a skid caused by harsh braking, the first thing to do is remove the cause, that is, ease off the footbrake to allow the wheels to start turning again. Then, reapply the brakes with not quite so much pressure. When braking firmly, most of a car's weight is thrown forward, and as a result, the back wheels can lock first. This can cause the back of the car to slide sideways as it tries to "catch up" with the front. If this happens, get out of the skid by easing the pressure on the footbrake, and steering to straighten your course. If the back of the vehicle swings to the right, the steering wheel should be turned to the right to correct the skid, thus bringing the car back into alignment. If the back of the car swings to the left, then the steering wheel needs to be turned to the left. You should be careful not to over-correct or you could cause a skid in the opposite direction.

After the stop

As soon as the car is stationary, apply the handbrake to secure the car and select neutral. There are a number of reasons for this. It will give you time to collect your thoughts after stopping very suddenly. It also lessens the danger from a vehicle following too closely behind. Before moving off again, check all around, looking over both your left and right shoulders and of course in the mirrors. The left shoulder check is essential because you may not be stopped as normal near the left-hand kerb.

It is therefore possible that a pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, or even another driver, could be at the side of your car on the left.