A 3-minute lesson from the Nevada course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Anti-lock brakes keep your wheels from locking in a hard stop so you can still steer. The technique is the opposite of what many drivers learned: with four-wheel ABS you press hard and hold — you don't pump.
ABS
Anti-lock braking system: prevents skidding and lets you steer in emergency braking. When wheels start to lock, it pumps the brakes automatically, much faster than a driver could.
To find out if you have ABS: look for the ABS symbol lighting on the dashboard right after you start the engine, check the owner's manual, or ask the dealer.
Rear-wheel ABS (found only on some light trucks) keeps the back end from skidding sideways, but the front wheels can still lock. If they do, let up on the brake just enough for them to roll and regain steering.
A deer leaps into the road and you brake hard in your car with four-wheel ABS. Keep pressing firmly, steer around the deer into clear space, and return to your lane once you're past. Pumping would switch the ABS off.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
When four-wheel ABS engages in an emergency stop, what should the driver do?
Push the brake pedal down hard, hold it, and steer
Pump the brake pedal rapidly
Release the brake completely and coast
Turn the steering wheel hard in one direction
Answer: Push the brake pedal down hard, hold it, and steer
With four-wheel ABS, brake hard, hold it down firmly, and steer where you want to go.