How is driving a car with anti-lock brakes different than driving a car with regular brakes?

Question

I drive a truck with anti-lock brakes and am considering buying a different car which does not have anti-lock brakes. I'm not an expert on cars so I don't know how their different. Do cars without anti-lock brakes have a tendency to skid if you need to stop suddenly? If your car doesn't have anti-lock brakes what happens if you need to stop suddenly ... will you wind up getting into an accident? Thanks for any help you can give me.

Answer 1

anti-lock brakes are nice but not mandatory. what the anti-lock brake system does is apply the brakes while not fully locking up your wheel rotation. with this technology you are able to slam on the brakes while still maintaining decent steering control. with regular brakes, when applied heavily, the wheels will lock up and when you steer it really won't matter because you will continue to go strait. (usually a bigger deal in slippery weather) A way to combat this is to pump regular brakes when you feel the loss of control. the anti-lock system basically pumps your brakes much much faster and more effectively than a human ever could. I have had vehicles with both systems and have never had a problem with either. drive cool in the snow and rain and you will be good.

Answer 2

It can indeed make a huge difference. Non ABS cars can lose control if the driver gives into instinct and mashes the pedal in an emergency. Anti-lock brakes will sense if the wheels "lock up" in a skid. They'll release the brakes just enough to keep them spinning, then reapply full pressure. The effect feels like a "pulsing" in the brakes.
This'll allow the driver to not only keep control of the car, but will also let it stop more quickly than if the wheels lock up.

Answer 3

On dry pavement, anti-lock brakes are pretty much like standard brakes. Their big advantage is when things get slippery; when the road is wet or snowy and icy.

If you learned to drive before anti-lock brakes were widely available, you probably remember being taught to pump your brakes when the road was slippery to prevent a skid and allow you to maintain steering control. Anti-lock brakes simply do that for you automatically.

So, with anti-lock brakes, just mash the pedal hard and hold it down. Steer around the hazard. You'll feel some pulsing and vibration in the pedal. This is normal, don't let it bother you!

With anti-lock brakes, you have a much better chance of avoiding an accident than with standard brakes.

Anti-lock brakes have been required on heavy trucks for about a decade in the US and nearly 2 decades in Europe. And for good reason -- they work! It's likely that anti-lock brakes will be mandatory on all vehicles in the US in a few years.

Answer 4

Cars/trucks with ABS do not skid. That was the idea behind them. I don't know the techie terms but the pads on an ABS never lock the discs. Because of this the car tires never lock up and lose traction.

ABS allows you to hit the brakes hard. Since there is no lock up, you have more steering control while stopping and the braking distance shortens. Even in rain and snow/ice

NON ABS vehicles will lock if you slam on the brakes causing skidding and loss of control. The human tendancy in a panic situation is to slam on the brakes thinking that the more pressure applied will stop the vehicle sooner. But all you do in most of the time is lock up the tires and skid further than you would if you didn't lock up the tires. If you learn to pump your brakes, (pressing and releasing them rythmically before the tires lock) you'll never lock up your tires and have more control during an emergency stop

Answer 5

You have to be in absolute control of non-anti-lock brakes. Keep a really good sense on what you tires are doing. If you sense that they are skidding, barely let up on the brake pedal.

I've driven both and I actualliy like the vehicles without anti-lock brakes better. Anti-lock brakes tend to second guess what what I actually want to do. You apply a little bit of extra pressure, and you find everything in the car sliding foward as you come to a quick stop.

Answer 6

Driving instructor here.............AND I live in Canada. We have Winter here........
Most drivers brake on corners. This isn't good in winter because the brakes lock up the wheels (all 4 of them), and the vehicle skids straight ahead(speed and momentum of the weight of the vehicle), and will not turn due to the lack of tire traction on the road surface. (physics).........
Drivers SHOULD brake to a manageable speed BEFORE a turn, coast around the corner and then, after recovering steering control while looking up the intended path of travel of the vehicle, should gently accelerate up to necessary speed.
If you practice this during the summer months, Winter driving will become more manageable (also follow further back, tap brake lights before actually braking to warn drivers behind you).
Because most people DO brake on corners and lose control, the car manufacturers developed these "Anti lock Braking Systems" to assist drivers. Unfortunately, most people don't understand how they work.
ABS (Antilock braking system) applies the brakes at a very high rate of on/off application. This prevents the brakes from locking up and allows for steering. There is some vibration from this.
This is normal. You push the brake pedal down and KEEP IT DOWN while steering WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. .......AND you will GO where you are LOOKING. .......and deer don't run backwards, so look at the BACK of a deer.........hahaha

Answer 7

Anti lock brake systems allow the driver to keep steerable control of the car under very wet or icey road conditions. The anti-lock allows the wheels to turn in very small increments while under emergency braking which, in theory at least, prevents spin-out and lets the driver steer the vehicle around an emergency situation. Unless you live in very cold climes with a lot of snow and ice on the roads chances are you will NEVER recieve the benefits of an anti-lock equipped vehicle. NOTE: anti-lock is equipped on rear wheels of trucks often because of the huge center of gravity difference -- helps prevent tail from spinning out of control under hard/emergency braking.

Answer 8

Anti-lock brakes will prevent your brakes from locking up if you slam on them. The brakes will lock then unlock so your car won't skid. Normal brakes will just lock up when you slam on them so your car will skid.

Answer 9

i think you are right. anti lock pump the brakes at a really fast pace to stop you from skidding out of control.

Answer 10

Antilock is supposed to keep you from sliding out of control. You don't have to "pump" the brakes in a skid ( it they are working properly) Personally I wouldn't have them but all I own is old muscle. Oldest 1960, newest 1987. They didn't even have it back then. Maybe I just don't like change.