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.
Related Articles...
Maintaining your car
It is essential that you look after your car and keep it in good condition. Not only is this paramount for your safety and that of other road users, but also it means that the longevity of your car...
What causes accidents: junctions
An alarmingly high proportion of accidents happen in and around junctions.
This is because of the combination of busy roads, traffic that can be nose to tail and people crossing all sorts of...
Risk factors when driving: snow and ice
When the snow is falling, there is one big problem - it is hard to see far infront. So like fog, reduced visibility is the problem with snow. And when there is heavy snowfall it can be very hard...
How to learn UK road signs
Learning UK road signs is something that will unfortunately require you to
take the time to study them all. Many signs turn up in the theory test so
you do need to take the time to do this. But...
Various road markings you might find
Many drivers who are good at interpreting and understanding what a large range of road signs mean are not so good when it comes to road markings.
Some drivers appear to not even really be...
Why is there a Hazard Perception Test
The statistics have long shown that the newer the driver, the more likely they are to be involved in accidents on the roads. This is probably because they are inexperienced as drivers, although...
Professional driving instructors
When you learn to drive, you have the choice who teaches you. The majority of people decide to learn through a professional driving instructor and often through a major school of...
What are driving offences
Driving offences are what happens when you do not meet your obligations as a road user.
This could be something like not having the correct documentation that you require or something much...
Your legal obligations as a driver
There are some basics that everyone knows when it comes to being able to behind the wheel of a vehicle. These are of course meeting the legal eyesight requirements, being older than the minimum age...
Tyre pressure checking
The one check that everyone knows to perform is to check the pressure of their tyres, but a visual inspection is not enough. Clearly you can spot something really obvious this way, such as if a...
Back to home page of driving theory test questions
