The foot-brake operates on all four wheels.This pedal should be operated by the ball of the right foot only.

The brake pedal has a free play.Brakes operate only when you apply pressure beyond a certain point.The free play may vary from car to car.Excessive play indicates a fault in the system. Some of the features of brakes worth knowing are:

• Brakes only stop the wheels from turning, they do not stop the car.It is the friction between the tyre and the road surface that brings the car to a halt. Hence , road conditions play an important role in the effectiveness f braking.
• Wheels which are rotating can stop faster than wheels which are locked.Hence, brakes should never be applied violently which can lock the wheels and end in a skid even on a good surface.
  
• The effect of braking is nearly 60% on the front wheels and 40% on the rear wheels.
• Prolonged braking , such as on a long descent , results in brake failure.

The hand-brake , on the other hand ,operates on the rear wheels through a mechanical device.It is generally considered as a parking brake , but in reality it is also very useful emergency brake.

In conditions such as front wheel blow-out , the safest way is to apply the hand-brake as it controls the rear wheels only .