Types of brakes and braking system
The brakes on your car are one of the most important elements of the car, and when you learn the ABC of accelerator, brake and clutch you realise if you hadn't already how to standardly operate the brakes. And you will also learn about the hand brake, and when to use it and when to release it.
A braking system has two ways of being operated so that if one stops working then other is able to stop the car, in order to help ensure safety. And they are also independent of the engine, meaning that if the enegine is not running the brakes still function.
A drum brake is one of the two types of braking system and this describes one that rotates with the wheel and contains brake shoes that have friction linings. Disc brakes in contrast work more like the brakes that will be instantly familiar to anyone who has ever ridden a push bicycle.
As mechanical objects, there is always the possibility that brakes can fail and since they are so important it is necessary to test them as soon as you drive your car just to ensure that they are functioning correctly, you don't want to only find out at a higher speed that there is a problem with them.
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