There are two things that all driving schools teach you. You press the accelerator to go, and the brakes to stop. Often, Malaysians are very good at the acceleration, but we don’t really know how to properly use the brakes.

Today, we brake (pun totally intended) down some of the bad habits that most Malaysians do that put an unnecessary strain on their car brakes.

1. Aggressive speeding and braking

This is one of the most common causes for wearing out the brake pad. Malaysians love to get hit their pedal to the metal, leading to more speed. But it’s simple science that the more speed you have, the harder you have to brake to stop the acceleration. This will lead to you wearing out your brake pads and discs faster. Instead, try to anticipate traffic and just accelerate lightly to catch up to the car in front, rather than speeding up, and suddenly having to stomp on your brakes to stop.

2. Overweight car

We understand that house prices are on the rise, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to stuff everything you own in your car. The weight of the items in your car, along with you and your passengers will lead to your brakes working harder just to stop the acceleration. Sometimes, it’s better to have a sleek and lean machine rather than carrying everything and the kitchen sink in your car.

3. Overusing the brakes

Sometimes, not stepping on the brakes can help to keep the wearing it out to a minimum. This is called coasting, a technique that lets your brakes rest. Simple anticipate the distance between your car and the car in front of you and release the accelerator to let your car slowly decelerate. You can also do this when you’re going downhill; by engaging a lower gear, you will let the engine braking do its part.
 

4. Left foot on the brakes

In traffic jams, it’s not a surprise that people often try to shift their weight around to feel more comfortable. Some people have the habit of putting their left foot on the brakes. This is not encouraged as it might lead to “accidental braking”, which is pretty much sudden braking. It’s also dangerous as the car behind you may not have the same message and you may end up being rear-ended.

5. Old brake fluids

Did you know that you have to change your brake fluids regularly? Not doing so will lead to damage on your brake lines. This is because old brake fluid is capable of gathering moisture, which will cause the master cylinder, brake lines, and pistons to corrode or rust. With these vital components damaged, you will be in danger of having weakened braking, and even complete loss of brakes, which is not a situation you would want to be in.

How many of these braking mistakes do you make? Leave a comment below!