You already know that brakes are super important for stopping the car, for our safety on the road.

Now, because they're so crucial, you also need to keep your brakes in good condition so they're ready to go whenever you need them. The trick? Keep checking the brake fluid level, don't let it run low, because that could be an indication of a leak. Also, check the thickness of the brake pads and the condition of the brake discs/thrums.

When braking, there are also tricks to keep the car manageable according to the situation. You see, there are some emergency conditions that are actually dangerous if we brake suddenly, which could cause bigger problems.

What are these conditions?

Found a Hole in the Road? Don't Jump on the Brake!

If there's a pothole in front of you, it's not a good idea to brake suddenly, bro! There are two risks: your car could be hit from behind, or your car's legs could be damaged. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't brake at all. If the pothole is still a bit far away, try to check its condition at a glance, and then brake slowly.

If the hole is really close, it's better to release all the gas and brake pedals and let the car pass through the hole safely. Avoid braking when the hole is big or deep so that the impact is not severe. It's the same with changing lanes, if you're not careful you could get hit from behind.

Why is that? Because, when we step on the brakes, the weight of the car moves to the front, and at the same time the tires hit the hole. Such conditions can make the tires and wheels burst, or damage the suspension and steering system. Even worse, it can cause an accident if the car loses control.

It's Rainy Season, Beware of Aquaplaning!

During the rainy season, you have to be very careful with aquaplaning when driving. Once you hit aquaplaning, the risk of an accident is huge. You see, no driver can control their car, especially if they are speeding.

Aquaplaning is a condition where the car tires lose traction due to a layer of water on the road. As a result, the car becomes difficult to control and accident-prone. There are many factors that cause this, ranging from deep puddles, bald tire treads, to excessive speeding.

So, if our car is aquaplaning, what do we do? The safest action to reduce the risk of an accident is to keep the steering wheel straight and don't step on the brake pedal!

A car that is aquaplaning usually moves wildly because the tires are slipping. It can even get worse if the tire pressure is different, the tires are out of tread, and the suspension is not optimal. So, the best thing to do is to hold the steering wheel straight and not step on the gas or brake.

Let the car slide until the speed runs out and becomes slow. Try to move the steering wheel, if you can control it, it means you're free from aquaplaning. Stay alert to the conditions around the car to avoid being hit by other cars.

Tire Blowout? Don't Panic and Brake Hard!

Many drivers immediately panic and hit the brakes hard when their car tires burst, so they can stop immediately. In fact, slamming on the brakes when the tire bursts, especially if the car is speeding, can actually cause a worse accident.

If the tire bursts, you can use the engine brake to reduce the speed of the car. Eventually, the car's speed will decrease on its own. All you need to do is make sure you don't step on the gas, clutch and brake pedals. Also, keep the steering wheel straight ahead.

If the rear tire bursts, it's usually easier to control because the control is still on the front tire. But if it's the front tire that bursts, the steering wheel must be held straight even stronger because the car will 'pull' towards the burst tire. Never turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction, it can even make the car swerve and the danger of overturning.

Once the situation is under control, turn on the left turn signal and slowly steer the car onto the shoulder of the highway. Keep your eyes on the road behind you to make sure no other cars are speeding. If it's slow enough, move to the shoulder and let the car stop on its own.

Indonesia

Kamu pasti sudah tahu kalau rem itu super penting buat menghentikan laju mobil, demi keselamatan kita di jalanan.

Nah, karena perannya krusial banget, kamu juga mesti jaga kondisi rem biar siap sedia kapan saja dibutuhin. Caranya? Cek terus level minyak rem, jangan sampai kurang, soalnya itu bisa jadi indikasi ada bocor. Terus, lihat juga ketebalan kampas rem serta kondisi cakram/tromol rem.

Saat ngerem pun ada triknya biar mobil tetap enak dikendalikan sesuai situasi. Soalnya, ada beberapa kondisi darurat yang justru bahaya kalau kita ngerem mendadak, bisa-bisa malah menimbulkan masalah yang lebih besar. 

Apa saja kondisi itu?

Ketemu Lubang di Jalan? Jangan Langsung Injak Rem!

Kalau di depan mata ada lubang, ngerem mendadak itu bukan ide bagus, bro! Risikonya ada dua: mobil kita bisa ditabrak dari belakang, atau kaki-kaki mobil malah rusak. Tapi bukan berarti nggak boleh ngerem sama sekali ya. Kalau lubangnya masih agak jauh, coba cek sekilas kondisinya, terus ngeremnya pelan-pelan saja.

Nah, kalau sudah dekat banget sama lubang, mending lepasin semua pedal gas dan rem, terus biarkan mobil ngelewatin lubang itu dengan aman. Hindari ngerem pas lubangnya gede atau dalam biar benturannya nggak parah. Sama juga kayak pindah jalur, kalau nggak hati-hati malah bisa ditabrak dari belakang.

Kenapa begitu? Soalnya, pas kita injak rem, berat mobil itu pindah ke depan, nah pas barengan itu ban ngehajar lubang. Kondisi kayak gitu bisa bikin ban sama velg pecah, atau ngerusak sistem suspensi dan kemudi. Parahnya lagi, bisa bikin kecelakaan kalau mobil sampai kehilangan kendali.

Lagi Musim Hujan, Waspada Aquaplaning!

Kalau lagi musim hujan, kamu harus hati-hati banget sama yang namanya aquaplaning pas nyetir. Begitu sudah kena aquaplaning, risiko kecelakaan tuh gede banget. Soalnya, nggak ada pengemudi mana pun yang bisa kontrol mobilnya, apalagi kalau lagi ngebut.

Aquaplaning adalah kondisi di mana ban mobil kehilangan traksi gara-gara ada lapisan air di jalan. Alhasil, mobil jadi susah dikendalikan dan rawan kecelakaan. Banyak faktor penyebabnya, mulai dari genangan air yang dalam, tapak ban yang sudah botak, sampai ngebutnya kebangetan.

Terus, kalau mobil kita sampai kena aquaplaning, gimana dong? Tindakan paling aman buat mengurangi risiko kecelakaan adalah jaga setir tetap lurus dan jangan injak pedal rem!

Mobil yang kena aquaplaning biasanya geraknya liar karena bannya selip. Bahkan bisa makin parah kalau tekanan angin ban beda-beda, kembangan ban sudah habis, serta suspensinya nggak optimal. Jadi, yang paling benar adalah tahan setir lurus saja dan jangan injak gas maupun rem.

Biarkan mobil meluncur sampai kecepatannya habis dan jadi pelan. Coba gerakkan kemudi, kalau sudah bisa dikendalikan, berarti sudah lepas dari aquaplaning. Tetap waspada sama kondisi sekitar mobil biar nggak ditabrak mobil lain.

Ban Pecah? Jangan Panik Langsung Rem Kencang!

Nggak sedikit pengemudi yang langsung panik terus injak rem keras-keras pas ban mobilnya pecah, biar bisa langsung berhenti. Padahal, menginjak rem saat ban mobil pecah, apalagi kalau mobil lagi kencang, malah bisa bikin kecelakaan yang lebih parah.

Nah, kalau ban pecah, kamu bisa manfaatin engine brake buat ngurangin kecepatan mobil. Lama-lama, kecepatan mobil bakal turun sendiri. Jadi, kamu cuma perlu pastikan pedal gas, kopling dan rem nggak diinjak. Selain itu, tahan kemudi lurus ke depan.

Kalau ban belakang yang pecah, biasanya masih lebih gampang dikendaliin karena kontrolnya masih ada di ban depan. Tapi kalau ban depan yang pecah, kemudi harus ditahan lurus lebih kuat lagi karena mobil bakal 'narik' ke arah ban yang pecah. Jangan sekali-kali membelokkan setir ke arah yang berlawanan, itu malah bisa bikin mobil oleng dan bahaya terbalik.

Begitu situasinya sudah mulai terkendali, nyalakan lampu sein kiri lalu arahkan mobil ke bahu jalan tol pelan-pelan. Tetap perhatikan kondisi di belakang buat mastiin nggak ada mobil lain yang ngebut. Kalau sudah cukup lambat, baru masuk ke bahu jalan lalu biarkan mobil berhenti sendiri.