brake far too hard, and skid. So, what do you do when faced with an emergency. First, don't "hit" or "slam" on the brakes. "Squeeze" on the brakes. It doesn't matter how fast you need to stop, squeeze the brake pedal - firmly. You will stop quicker by squeezing the pedal down than by slamming or hitting the brakes. Then, squeeze the pedal down to the point just before the tires begin to skid - right at the limit of the tires's traction or grip. Never forget that if you lock-up the brakes and begin to skid, you have lost all directional control of the car. No matter what you do with the steering wheel, the car will continue straight ahead. Plus, a skidding car takes more distance to stop. You need to pay attention to the feel in the steering when braking. If the steering suddenly starts to feel light or insensitive, the front brakes are probably locked up. You should also notice that the car is not responding to the direction you've turned the steering wheel. And, of course, if you're driving on dry pavement you may notice the screeching of tires. Actually, when you're braking right at the limit just before the brakes lock-up, a faint howl may be heard from the tires. Braking at this limit is called "threshold braking", and is the fastest and safest way to stop a car. If you exceed the limit for threshold braking and begin to lock-up, ease up slightly