The best way to stop quickly on a wet or icy roadway is to…?
- Apply brakes the same way you always do
- Put brakes on hard and try to prevent vehicle from skidding
- Brake, if wheels lock then release pressure and reapply until you come to a stop ✓
- Keep foot off brake and let the vehicle slow and stop automatically
Answer: C. Brake, if wheels lock then release pressure and reapply until you come to a stop
Brake firmly, and if the wheels lock, release the pressure and press again, repeating until you come to a stop.
Why this is the answer
The handbook's emergency braking steps for vehicles without ABS say to press the brake hard but not so hard that the wheels lock, and if a skid starts, to quickly release the brake and press hard again to regain control. Applying and releasing that way lets you keep steering while you slow down. The handbook adds that in most cases you should not lock the wheels when stopping quickly, though locking may be a choice when stopping matters more than steering.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Apply brakes the same way you always do — Braking exactly as you normally do is not an emergency stop technique, and the handbook gives specific steps for stopping suddenly.
- B. Put brakes on hard and try to prevent vehicle from skidding — The handbook says to press hard but not hard enough to lock the wheels, and to release and reapply if a skid begins, rather than holding a hard brake and fighting the skid.
- D. Keep foot off brake and let the vehicle slow and stop automatically — Taking your foot off the brake and coasting does not match the handbook's emergency braking steps, which involve pressing the brake pedal.
Remember it
When a wheel locks, you lose steering with it, so ease off and press again instead of holding on.