During stab braking, which sequence should you follow?

During stab braking, which sequence should you follow?

• A. Brake softly and hold
• B. Pump the brakes several times
• C. Brake as hard as you can, get off the brakes when the wheels lock, get back on the brakes when the wheels start rolling again
• D. Release completely and coast

Answer: (C)

Stab braking is about getting the strongest deceleration you can from a vehicle without ABS while keeping steering control. You apply the brakes hard to max out braking, but when you sense the wheels locking, you release pressure just enough to let the wheels start turning again. Once the wheels are rolling, you reapply the brakes with firm pressure and repeat the cycle until you stop. This sequence—brake hard, release on lock, reapply when rolling—lets you brake aggressively without sliding and helps you maintain steering control. If the vehicle has ABS, you should simply brake firmly and let the ABS modulate the braking; stab braking isn’t used with ABS. Other approaches—braking softly and holding, pumping brakes, or coasting—do not achieve the same combination of strong deceleration and maintained control.

Stab braking is about getting the strongest deceleration you can from a vehicle without ABS while keeping steering control. You apply the brakes hard to max out braking, but when you sense the wheels locking, you release pressure just enough to let the wheels start turning again. Once the wheels are rolling, you reapply the brakes with firm pressure and repeat the cycle until you stop. This sequence—brake hard, release on lock, reapply when rolling—lets you brake aggressively without sliding and helps you maintain steering control. If the vehicle has ABS, you should simply brake firmly and let the ABS modulate the braking; stab braking isn’t used with ABS. Other approaches—braking softly and holding, pumping brakes, or coasting—do not achieve the same combination of strong deceleration and maintained control.