Emergency Stop on the UK Driving Test - with and without ABS 

I'm 18 years old and yesterday passed my driving test first time with 2 minors. I've had 6 hours of lessons with a professional instructor but watched countless videos from your channel, I've watched over 100 hours worth of videos around driving techniques and am positive this is what got me to pass. I can't thank you enough. I saved countless money on lessons I would've taken, money which I put towards a new car arriving next month. Good luck to everyone who has booked their test. You can do it! Larry

I passed my driving test yesterday after four attempts. I had no faults. This channel is one of my favourites where I have learned a lot. It is never easy failing your driving tests but after almost feeling frustrated at it, I resolved I will just keep working at improving my driving. My real problem was my nerves. My instructor was not sure there was any other thing wrong with my driving other than my nerves. I also happened to have been very blessed with a very wonderful examiner on the day I passed. He made me feel so relaxed, was very jovial and friendly. If you have a driving test coming up, I really do wish you the very best.

Bonus ABS information for new drivers!! Since ABS is supposed to stop your wheels from locking up/skidding, it takes a tremendous amount of brake pressure to cause it to activate on a smooth dry road However, even slight braking on a slippery road will cause the ABS system to activate so don't be surprised if you're ever driving in the rain and you feel your brake pedal acting weird due to ABS activating even with the lightest press of the pedal 😅

I was told this is now referred to as the "controlled stop". I was also taught not to press the brake fully to the floor but to press it hard which was slightly confusing at first.

Absolutely amazing instructor! The videos are so easy to understand. Thank you.

Hi Richard, I had my first lesson yesterday and thanks to your videos, I had a lot of knowledge and it was a breeze! The instructor actually knew your channel and recommended you, thank you for your hard work :)

Watching after a while. So glad to see your new videos. Even though I have passed the test a few months ago I still love watching your videos to enhance my knowledge. Every day brings a new experience in a new driver’s life.

Hello Richard I had a test on Saturday which included emergency stop and I stopped firmly and quickly like never before in my life my examiner was very 😊 she was also kind I have passed with two minors I have failed back in July and passed on 2nd time I stayed calm and believed in my self I also had reverse in bay parking for both tests and I did great even if it’s the worse Parking ever😏😂But anyways To those who are still trying to pass please don’t give up and remain positive I though I would never pass I had lessons on an off they wasn’t often for the past 2 years ever since covid And I was so upset but finally the day will come for YOU too just remain positive I do recommend good sleep before your test warm shower at night and banana in the morning and plenty of fluid but not so much😳❤️😂😂😂 GOODLUCK everybody you can do it stay positive and thank you so much Richard for your videos u were great online instructor I will still watch your videos :) Also being alert is important buy some multivitamins to help you stay more focused We nearly had an accident because of someone who was waiting before give way line and decided to go and went in my way good thing I stopped in time.. otherwise it would of been fail some people just are really impatient even if they were in your shoes once we all starts as learners Shame on the drivers who drives like idiots honestly…imagine most people fail bevause of other impatient road users…

I have watched every single video you uploaded to RU-vid, and by far you are the most consistent, knowledgeable and helpful instructor I’ve seen. To anyone that reads this comment, if you need that extra support to help you pass your driving test, this is your man! I would like to thank you, because without these videos I would not have passed first time with 3 minors. Thank you Richard and keep up the great work!!

i love how I have passed my test so long ago and still watch these videos because its just so entertaining haha, good job!

Hey I just wanted to say thank you so very much for making these outstanding videos, thanks to studying driving via these vids and 10 hours of lessons, I was able to pass my the first time since I gave up learning which lasted 5 years (I had a horrible learning experience with a previous instructor and failed 4 times prior). I watched your video on how to control nerves before a test right up until I got picked up for my driving test and it made all the difference. Thank you so so much !! Will be sharing this channel with my learner friends xx

Hi Richard, I just want to say a massive thank you for your amazing, informative and brilliantly communicated videos. I just passed first time this afternoon with 0 minors, not sure how that happened! I've been watching your videos since I started learning in January and they have helped me so much and made the whole process so much more enjoyable. Thanks again!

Passed on Wednesday, thank you for all the videos it really helped me out when I wasn’t sure of something.

Hey Richard, I passed my test last Monday (3rd October) and just wanted to say thank you for all your videos, they helped me so much when I was learning to drive. You’re a really great instructor! 😊

Great video! I am currently teaching my son to drive in between his lessons, next lesson is emergency stops, so I will use this advice 😊

Just passed my test today, all of you videos that i've watched were super useful 👍🏻 i also got the emergency stop so this video in particular helped 😂

I have just passed the driving test in hk. Thank you for your videos, it is very useful and learned a lot from them.

Super helpful as always Richards ! 😊

My first car (2001 Yaris) had no ABS. Was register about 6 weeks before ABS became standard on all Yaris. Was a great learning exercise, practiced emergency stops a few times in it.

That road your on is practically world famous now with how many people see videos on that same road

An interesting video, I passed so long ago ABS wasn't even a thing, I've driven plenty of cars with it since, but oddly enough I've never owned one new enough to have it. Your demo of "threshold braking" was pretty close to demos I saw of cadence braking way back when. Brakes have improved a lot, & I mean a LOT over the decades. Modern cars make the driver's life significantly safer & easier.

Feel like this video was meant for me, watched it the night it came out had my test the next day and lo and behold emergency stop on my test. I passed first time thanks in no small part to many of your videos. I salute you sir 🤝

Lovely demonstration thank you so much

I love Your Teachings,I follow you.

Love your driving advices Richard, doing recently lessons in Ireland hate those tight roads where cars park which makes it tighter🙃

I passed my test today with just 2 minors! Thank you so much for your videos, they helped me immensely 😆

I've been practicing emergency stops on my motorcycle, it has no ABS. I've found the most efficient way of stopping is only using the front brake, and squeezing the brake lever (not too quickly otherwise the tyre will slip) - The reason I use the front only is because most of the weight transfers to the front of the bike, so when you're at 100% front brake pressure, the rear will skid even with the slightest brake pressure, engine braking is good enough. I practice it enough to where I feel 100% confident in my braking ability without ABS, but I really wish I had it, especially for wet conditions, I dare test the limit in the wet lol. I was also quite impressed how quickly your car stopped from 40mph.

Just had an emergency stop on my test…. I also passed, Thanks to my instructor and your vids….. i can Finally Say “ i passed„…. Its been a couple of months since i first found your channel and i Could not wait for the day i can Finally thank you for making the vids. Keep it up…. Good Luck everyone!

The video thumbnail is gold.

Man that cadence braking was a good one 😄 great video, and great content.

Thank you so much for all your help i just passed 1st time with 4 minors 👍❤️

I passed 1st time today with 3 minors. Thankyou so much for your videos. You taught me all I know about roundabouts and analysing what the cars to the right will be doing 😊

This is such a convenient video as someone with an old ABS-less car. Perhaps finding a lot to do practice modulating the brake would be a good idea.

good demonstration

Hey Richard, passed my test today. Your videos have been invaluable, I really cannot stress this enough. I started learning to drive over 15 years ago but then stopped due to various reasons, and took up driving again in my thirties. Back then you would have just gotten a crappy DVD to watch and hope for the best, but now RU-vid has been a goldmine - and your channel has helped me a lot in exploring the topics taught in my lessons, especially around reverse parking.

No human will ever be able to pulse the brake pedal as fast as the ABS system

Your videos are really detailed, they help boost my confidence. Thank you! Also, the cadence braking bit was hilarious omg 😂

Thanks. Winter is coming. I would appreciate it if you could make a video on how to emergency stop on snow or ice.

Thanks

I had the emergency stop on my driving test,good god I slammed on them anchors 🤣🤣🤣🤣,passed though,my biggest driving achievement to date ( only passed in august) Iwas driving all the way back from Great Yarmouth to Nottingham

Thank you sir for sharing the very important, emergency stop. #OneMessageFoundation

This video half answers one of my biggest questions and one of the questions I can't seem to find an answer to or an example of anywhere online. That question is, how fast can you stop a car?? Like you always hear about a cars 0-60mp/h times ... but never have quickly they can stop?? Would be nice to see how fast / how much distance you need to stop at highway speeds or something. I think it would be really interesting and helpful to have an idea of how quickly you can stop cars. I became obsessed with wanting to know this after watching a race driver braking on a nuburgring.. they can brake so aggressive and fast without ABS its honestly shocking and surprising.

Can you do mock test videos please.!! Would be really helpful 🙏🏻

Hi Could you make a emergency stop video as well for authomatic car without ABS, appreciated it, thank you 😊

my abs failed, also the esp and traction control. took two years warming light to finally stay on so garage could find error code. if a little too much fun i could trigger it and turn all of sometimes it stay on for days, or a simple engine off and on will fix it. i sure wish i was taught few extra skill like no driving safety so no abs,tc,esp. 2nd year driving had a lot to learn fast but now all fixed it made me a better driver not having them and learning car limits, few small issues along way, one back end out but saved and trying to stop on cheap tires. glad its fixed now as it rush traveling through wales mountain water logged roads, but gets tiring on edge every second on a long day drive

I wish I could have you as my driving instructor here in South Africa. It is sooo hard to find a good instructor. I am switching driving schools right now, as the one I am currently at definitely does not give a damn about their learners. My first lesson with the instructor, I told him I am still learning clutch control and that I have very very little experience driving, have not even figured out changing gears yet. He then said he will check how my driving is - which I assumed would be somewhere quiet, with little to no traffic. Picture this however - on this day, my very first lesson, he directed me straight into traffic, through several intersections and through some of the busiest streets in my town - during loadshedding (which is basically a scheduled electrical blackout) which means that the traffic lights were also not functional. The fact that I did not go into a complete panic or did not crash into anyone is nothing short of a miracle. After all that he also had the arrogance to mention that I should not be so tense in traffic. I have now had 3 lessons with this instructor, and there is practically no communication from him, apart from grunting some short instructions occasionally. Yesterday was the last straw, when he asked me to do a right turn, which I then proceeded to prepare for and started turning into a side road - meanwhile he actually wanted me to do a U-turn, so instead of instructing me properly, he ended up grabbing the steering wheel like a madman and almost drove into the curb by doing the U-turn at the last second. I honestly do not feel safe to drive with him. He is always sighing and looking out the window as if he is incredibly eager for the lesson to be over. When I ask something, he does not hear me or answer me properly. Plus he had the audacity to compare me to some of his other learners yesterday, saying I am not progressing as fast as them - duhhhhh I have litterally had 3 lessons that consisted of half an hour each! Plus I have a crappy, useless instructor who does not pay attention to anything I ask about! Hopefully my new instructor will be more helpful, fingers crossed. This has definitely not been a pleasant introduction to driving. I believe that if I stayed at that driving school any longer, I would have ended up hating driving. I already dreaded going back there the last two times. Edit: I find your videos incredibly helpful and I will be watching all of them while I continue learning to drive.

hi Richard, if you press the brake too hard can you fail that way? my instructor told me it was 'uncontrolled' when i did it that way

My driving instructor told me to always signal, just as a measure of good practice.

If you’re driving an automatic, do you just need to put the hand brake on after? Or put it in neutral or park also?

bruh so strange i just randomly come across your channel and your driving down my usual routes n stuff. small world.

Great thumbnail 😂👍🏼

taken two car tests... one in an auto and one in a manual and they both had emergency stop!

03:30 if you’re braking hard enough for ABS to kick in, it won’t matter whether the clutch is down doesn’t it? You won’t have the engine braking but you’ll just use more of the foot brake I’d think.

Thanks for an excellent video. However, you made no mention of doing an emergency stop in the wet in a car without abs.

I am a Brazilian driver moving to the UK soon. I watch your videos to be aware of the pitfalls of UK driving exam. Would the examiner fail me if I downshifted to second gear whilst breaking and used the engine and clutch to aid at the breakage? Because that is what I normally do out of instinct when emergency breaking.

Thanks for this video. I was watching the test video. Could you do one with different weight in the car. I feel that it is an important factor in fuel economy (heavy car vs light car).

Hi Richard! Love your content, thanks so much. I've just done emergency stops with my instructor and he told me that, if I skid, I should steer gently in the direction of the skid. This seems at odds with what you're saying in this video! Who's right? And why?

i accidentally press the brake when i was mean to press the clutch to upshift. lucky noone was behind. i was so confuse of how it happen, i guess i assum i was resting my foot next to my clutch but actually was covering the clutch

someone needs to help me. my instructor told me to brake as hard as i could but so that the abs doesn’t activate. he said if u skid and need the abs then it’s your in control of the car. i don’t get this. should i brake as hard as i can or should i brake as hard as i can without making the abs kick in

so its undetectable? Season 1? and what happens when youre days are over?

The trick to ABS braking is practice. Once the car starts juddering under ABS human nature will make you take your foot off the pedal as something you are doing is causing something uncomfortable. I was taught by a race instructor that if you are on the road (you are correct ABS on a track is 'cheating' :-) ) you get into a situation where ABS comes on you need to train your brain to double down and hit the pedal even harder.

My car (a 20 year old Mazda MX-5) has ABS but doesn't have an ABS warning light. It just uses the standard brake warning light for problems with abs I believe (although I've never had an ABS issue). Saying that, it's ABS is nowhere near as good as it is on a the other car I drive, a 2020 BMW 1 series.

Do you need to get stall in emergency stop?

Have my driving test in just over a week. Any tips or advice you can give?

188k miles on a learner car? That’s impressive!

Hi Richard, I couldn't find any of your video on dealing with emergency vehicles, so posting it here. Though, there are some by others, they don't answer all the questions. It would be good if you make a video on it. Also, could you please help with this scenario? You are waiting at a traffic signal on the right hand lane (inner lane) of a two- lane dual carriageway. An emergency vehicle with flashing blue glare but no siren arrives behind you and the traffic light turns green immediately. What shoul you do? Move to the near-side or left-side lane or continue on your path slowly for emergency vehicle to undertake you?

2:12: also if it’s a production car since 2002(?) in the UK then it has ABS

You mentioned that on a track day you don't use ABS. For track days on a hot day, would threshold braking cause the brakes to heat up more than relying on the ABS?

You look like someone who would enjoy trackdays, where can I find more videos of you on the track?

heh remember my test.. had an unplanned emergency stop. another learner strangely enough was in a turning lane to cross my lane, stopped and waiting but for some reason the LAST second he decides to move (only slightly he seemed to surprise himself as much as me) convinced the only reason I didnt lose points for the examiner "intefearing" was I a fair bit younger and quicker than the examiner, I was so close I dont think anyone would have waited for the other peson to break if you know what I mean.. Reguardless I passed.... funnily enough no mention of the emergency stop haha

all things considered its long been proven. if all the nessacary parts of the car are in good condition and you are on a normal road (not lose surface or snow ect) the most effective is just break firmly and let abs deal with it.. you dont have a hope in hell of adjusting your break presure as often, as fast or as acuratly as the ABS computer and pump (desides you only control all 4 breaks at once it does them independant) most of these other methods are moot unless your ABS has failed.. which your car would warn you about and you would have to get seviced for the MOT anyway

12:01 do you have a channel for track racing?

When learning to drive in New Zealand, I don't believe I was ever instructed on or asked to perform an emergency stop, and I'm now aware that it's a significant hole in my driving knowledge. On occasions that have called for it, I've found I don't brake hard enough and am somehow reluctant to come to a complete stop without being absolutely sure that it's necessary. The judgement of whether to stop, swerve, or both is also a tricky one. I will try to get some (safe!) practice at emergency stops in a variety of road conditions. Also, is it recommended to turn the hazard lights on after an emergency stop, as part of the standard procedure?

Whenever my ABS activates, it starts blinking orange, this is normal. If it does stay on after braking, there's something wrong.

I have always followed the brake then clutch method until someone mentioned that emergency stop is firmly stepping on both handbrake and clutch at same time

my dads car doesn’t have ABS so i have to push the brakes hard but not fully ( threshold braking ) & we practiced it!

10:44 shut your eyes

I accidently pressed thumbs down, sorry! Corrected it straight after. Your videos are really really useful!

How does the emergency stop differ in an automatic? There's no clutch to consider so is it just slam on the brake, secure the car, then do your checks before setting off?

What if I press brake and forget to press clutch? Does it prolong my stopping distance? And when engine stalls does ABS stop working? So I started emergency brake and only press brake pedal, my car uses ABS in begining, my engine stalls, but I'm still moving, does it means that now I must use yours tips for baking without ABS?

11:05 the head movement 😭😂😂

It's worth mentioning that disengaging the clutch is only of help in shortening the braking distance. The engine, especially larger ones, conserves its momentum and actually still pushes the car forward (it doesn't act as engine braking in case of emergency stops). So disengaging the clutch early should prevent that

On 5th gear and low rpm, does it really affects if u press the cluch first? I mean, better with than without but too little time with engine brake

which direction do you signal when pulling off after the stop

6:25 damn ! that DHL driver was in hurry !

I know you can use the electronic parking brake in some cars, is that allowed on the test?

Which signal has to put on right or left if car is behind?

how about downshift very quickly ?? my car doesn't have ABS and the breaks are little bit off (the pomp of breaking fluid is broken and i couldn't find replacement part because my coutry is in some kind of crisis and importation is locked)

In the imaginary situation that you brake just before the tires lock with abs deactivated, can be more eficient than full breke with abs? I'm thinking in the mini locks and realises that the abs applies Edit: and that's why i have to ask after finishing the video :D

Crazy cadance braking lol

hi, do you get a fault for your ABS kicking in?

Any recommendation in driving lesson company?🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

So why would I bother pressing the clutch down if I already have the brakes down?

I was a little surprised that your car doesn't have a button to turn of traction control. A lot of cars nowadays have some sort of button to turn off traction control, which also turns off ABS to my knowledge.

They say it's wise to carry out a safe emergency stop at some point when you buy a new car to test the brakes. I bought my second car in January and have yet to do one, i always have fear of it being a successful stop but damaging the pads or the pedal.

in NI all the driving tests have one, its strange how the same license has such different tests

yo tf was that cadence braking man. im still laughing LMAO!

Not sure how is ABS supposed to help the car stop quicker given the fact that it repeatedly releases and activates brakes.

Hi who is Richard

You can turn ABS off by going in the fuze box and removing the ABS fuse Did this on my dads car cos brakes were juddering under light pressure, but it was just the (back) brake discs needed replaced Funny story, he bought the wrong sized front discs lol