An anti-lock brake system is an automobile safety system that prevents wheels from locking up. This means they stop rotating and can pleasingly interact with the road surface. Anti-lock brakes are built to provide maximum safety from car crashes and accidents. Your car must have these brakes to ensure the proper safety of your family members from any uncertain incident.
Anti-lock brakes provide a significant safety advantage, as it prevents the wheels from locking in emergency braking situations. It allows drivers to keep control of steering and drive more efficiently. You must be careful when driving a car with anti-lock brakes to reap the full safety benefits for your family and children. Here are some of the major benefits:
1. Stopping on Ice
When you are traveling with family on a cross-country road trip, you need to ensure their utmost protection during any unfortunate accident. Thus, these brakes can prevent lock-ups or skids even in slippery conditions. In some cases, these brakes can save lives by helping drivers maintain control of their vehicles. Thus these are the best thing you must have to maximize the security of your family from accidents. However, apart from effective brakes, you must also know how to drive a car properly in such slippery conditions.
2. Reduction in Insurance Costs
Insurers often offer customers discounts when they install an ABS system on their vehicle because it’s a well-tested safety device that has a proven track record of effectiveness.
3. Proper Family Safety
Anti-lock brakes can be added to a family vehicle to prevent it from getting into devastating accidents. Especially mom cars must have these brakes so that they have more control over steering if they have to stop the vehicle in an emergency.
4. Traction Control
Anti-lock brakes share a portion of a traction controller system. New technology ensures that each wheel has traction. This makes it possible for manufacturers to easily install both of these features at their factories.
Does My Car have Anti-Lock Brakes?
Anti-lock brakes are a standard feature on most new cars. But if you want to confirm that your car has these brakes or not, then you should:
- Check your owner’s manual.
- After you turn on your ignition, check the instrument panel for an anti-lock brake indicator.
- Ask your dealer or the car rental company about it when you are looking to buy, lease, or rent a vehicle.
It can be quite a surprise to learn about these brakes if you have never been in a car equipped with them. Getting familiar with your brakes it’s a good idea.
Even if your car is equipped with anti-lock brakes, you still need to be safe and maintain your vehicle to keep your family and children safe from accidents. Keep your vehicle at a safe distance from other cars on the road. Moreover, these brakes are not a safety blanket for bad weather, so take extra care and slow down.
Anti-Lock Brake Tips for New Drivers
There are other things you should consider when using these brakes. You should ensure that your tires are correctly inflated according to the weather and treadwear. Check your alignment and make sure to service your brakes regularly.
Consider these things when driving a car equipped with anti-lock brakes:
- Anti-lock brakes users should not apply the brakes. Keep your foot on the brake pedal, and remember that these brakes allow you to still steer.
- Anti-lock brakes can increase stopping distances when used on certain surfaces and under certain conditions like snow, dirt, and in gravel. These effects are specific to the conditions.
- When these brakes are in hard brake mode, don’t jerk your steering wheel or make a sharp turn.
- Anti-lock brakes do not have the primary purpose of stopping your car quicker but of maintaining vehicle stability and helping you keep control to avoid collisions or uncontrolled skidding.
Suggested: How to be A Safe Driver
The Downsides of Anti-Lock Brakes
Anti-lock brakes have been proven safe in almost all situations and are considered a lower-risk option to improve the security of your family during traveling. However, not everyone is sold on the idea of this feature for a car. These are the downsides that this type of brake system can cause for drivers.
1. Inconsistent Stopping Times
Anti lock brakes are perfect to give you a secure braking experience in slippery conditions. Some drivers report that their brakes slow down the stopping distance in regular conditions as well. Hence, you the inconsistent stopping time is a crucial thing which can disturb you while driving and can be dangerous as well.
2. Complex Systems
You can easily cause a problem by messing with the brakes. Disorientation of these brakes can cause to make brakes louder, shake more or cause malfunction. So be aware of all the complexities.
3. Cost
Maintaining these brakes can be costly. Each wheel’s sensors can be costly to repair if they are not calibrated properly or have other issues. This is why some people choose to have their anti-lock brakes removed from a vehicle.
Do you also want to know how to disable anti-lock brakes? The relay is the best and most efficient way to disable these brakes. Remove the negative cable from your battery pack after opening the hood. Your main relay box is located here. Although locations may vary from one vehicle to another, they are generally located close to your main fuse panel or battery. You can consult your owner’s guide if you don’t know where it is. Examine the diagram on the inside cover of the relay panel. This diagram will help you locate your anti-lock brake relay. Pull this relay straight off and put the relay cover back on. At last, replace the negative battery cable.
Conclusion
This might seem complex, but if you are a regular driver, you must have such information as how to replace batteries, signs of a blown head gasket, and how to check engine oil.
