3 Ways You May Be Damaging The Brakes On Your Car

The brakes on your car see a lot of action. Every time you set off driving in your car, it is likely that you will use the brakes several times as you reach stop signs, road junctions and stationary traffic. The brake system on your car is also vital to the safety of you and other road users. Without working brakes, you will not be able to control your car properly, and this could result in a serious accident. While the brake system on your car will undergo wear and tear with standard use, there are some things you may be doing which could be accelerating the speed at which the condition of your brakes decline. Read on to find out more.

Riding your brakes

It is very easy for a driver to develop bad habits such as brake riding. Brake riding occurs when you rest your foot on the brake and use it far too often. Such frequent use of the brake can cause serious damage. It is often new drivers or those who are cautious who engage in this behaviour. Whenever you are not approaching a hazard which requires you to brake, you should keep your foot well away from the brake pedal.

Excess and unnecessary weight

If the trunk of your car is full of unnecessary items which you are storing there and which you do not need, this will create a lot of extra weight. This additional weight can cause problems. The extra weight will mean that when your car is travelling at speed, it will require more brake power in order to stop it from moving forward. This means you will need to brake harder and longer which will increase the amount of wear your brake pads experience. You should remove any unnecessary objects from the trunk of your car to keep it as light as possible and to reduce the strain on the vehicle's brake system.

Not keeping pace with other road users

If you are someone who constantly wants to get ahead, you may be tempted to drive faster than the pace at which other road users are travelling. This can have two negative effects. Firstly, you are likely to become very stressed as you continuously meet slower vehicles and attempt to overtake them. Secondly, the fact that you constantly need to use the brakes on your car to slow down will mean they undergo a lot more wear and tear.

If you are concerned about brake repairs, you should contact an auto centre today.