If you must stop suddenly and your vehicle is not equipped with ABS, what should you do?

• A. Slam on the brakes
• B. Put transmission in park
• C. Stop braking just short of locking the wheels
• D. Pump the brakes

Answer: (C)

When you don’t have ABS, the goal is to stop quickly while still keeping the tires gripping the road so you can steer around hazards. Apply firm, steady braking and stay ready to adjust—keep enough pressure so the wheels are near locking but not fully lock up. This threshold braking lets the tires maintain traction and lets you steer to safety, which is crucial in a sudden stop.

Slam on the brakes would cause wheels to lock and you’d lose steering control, making the stop longer and riskier. Putting the car in park while moving is unsafe and would likely damage the transmission and you’d lose control. Pumping the brakes is an older technique that can help on some surfaces, but it’s not as effective as maintaining braking pressure right up to, but not over, the point of wheel lock.