Is Emergency Braking the Foot Brake?

[Melinda]

Emergency braking refers to the handbrake. Emergency braking occurs when a driver quickly and correctly applies the brakes in an emergency situation to stop the vehicle in the shortest possible distance. This braking method is only used in sudden emergencies and represents an extreme form of braking. Below is additional information: The professional term for the handbrake is the auxiliary brake (parking brake). It operates on the principle of leverage to pull the brake cable, locking the rear wheel brake shoes or calipers to apply braking force, meaning it only brakes the rear wheels. The professional term for the foot brake is the service brake. It uses a hydraulic system, where the master cylinder applies pressure (via the foot pedal) to the brake pads on all four wheel hubs, creating friction against the hubs to achieve braking. The handbrake is a purely mechanical braking system, independent of the engine, with a low probability of failure. It serves as a backup to the hydraulic foot brake, acting as the last line of defense in case the hydraulic system fails. Using both the handbrake and foot brake together can provide greater braking force. However, in emergency braking situations, using both simultaneously can cause the rear wheels to lock up. At high speeds, locked rear wheels can easily lead to skidding and loss of control. In terms of braking effectiveness, the best braking state is when the wheels are on the verge of locking up. The vehicle's ABS system was invented to achieve this state. When both the handbrake and foot brake are used together, the wheels may lock up, causing the ABS system to fail and resulting in longer braking distances.