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When should you use the handbrake on a driving test?
I’m about to take my driving test, and I’m nervous about the parking brake! Everyone keeps telling me that the examiner may dock me for overusing it. When are you supposed to use your emergency brake?
Michelle Ballestrasse · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Good luck on your driving test! Just stay calm, keep it steady, and you’ll be fine! And your friends are right—don’t overuse your handbrake!
The handbrake, often referred to as the emergency or parking brake, is a cable system that engages the brakes on two of the car’s wheels (usually the rear). On manual transmission vehicles, the handbrake is the only thing keeping the car stationary after you’ve parked.
On automatic transmission vehicles, however, your parking pawl inhibits your car from movement after shifting your car into park. But the parking pawl may fail under stress (like if you’re parked on an incline) or break (say, if the car is struck by another vehicle), which is where your handbrake comes in. Engaging your handbrake acts as a failsafe to prevent your car from moving should the parking pawl break.
So, no matter what transmission your car has, you’ll want to use your handbrake in every instance that you are parking. This is true for both your driving test and everyday driving.
It’s atypical for there to be any other instance in which your instructor would expect you to engage the handbrake. Note that under no circumstances should you apply the handbrake when the car is in motion unless it’s a genuine emergency and the brakes are failing.
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