EMERGENCY STOP

Factors relating to stopping distance

The road surface (if tarmac,gravel,wet,icy ) The speed of the car,The weight of the car ie do you have passengers  luggage etc,The condition of the brakes and tyres,and your reaction time.

METHOD OF STOPPING

You will be in a parked position on the road.Your driving examiner will tell you that shortly there will be an imaginative child run out into road.The child will be some considerable distance from the front of your car,so you will have a good distance to stop in.You will be told that you will be given a signal as when to stop.The examiner usually taps the dashboard of the car and says stop.They will check the blind spot behind before they ask you to stop.They will not ask you to stop if there is a car close behind.You will be expected to drive at the right speeds and the right gears for the conditions of the road you are driving along,and the correct distance from the kerb and parked cars.You are not always asked to do this stop on the road you were told about it,so if you are approaching junctions etc deal with them accordingly.If a child were to run out in the road before you were asked to stop, you will be expected to do the stop then, and not run the child over with the excuse that your examiner had not told you to stop.

Once the examiner has checked behind at some point you will be told to stop.This is the only time you do not check the mirror before you brake,as the child is more important than what is behind you.You should know what is behind you anyway as you constantly check your mirrors whilst you are driving.See the section on mirrors.

When told to stop get from the gas pedal to the brake pedal quickly and brake hard so the car slows down like there is G Force pushing you backwards.Next put the clutch down and keep it down whilst still continuing to brake,If you put the clutch down first then brake you will fail your test as the car will gather speed as you are now coasting.You must keep both hands on the wheel until stopped.When stopped apply the handbrake and select neutral gear.Free the seat belt if it has locked.Put the car into first gear,set the gas and get the biting point.You must now check the mirror and look over your left and right shoulder for anything behind you.If there is traffic close to you from the front or rear stay where you are and wait to see if it stops or passes you.If there is traffic front or rear and it is safe to move away,you must put on a right hand signal to tell anybody you are now going to move off.If there is nothing do not signal.

If the car begins to skid whilst braking release the brake and brake again.

THE THREE MAIN CAUSES OF SKIDDING

DRIVER :    As it is you who applies the brake

VEHICLE:   All vehicles have different braking systems and require  different amounts    of pressure on the brake 

ROAD:  Depending on the road surface, relates to the grip the tyres  have .                                                          

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