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0 pointsJyaif10y ago0 comments

DO hold the brake if you are about to be rear ended. It results in less acceleration, and you are less likely to be projected into an obstacle.

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jfoster10y ago

Doesn't this depend on what is in front of you? If you can safely move forward, wouldn't not holding the brake be better?

crottypeter10y ago

No. Rapid acceleration from being rear-ended causes whiplash. Having brakes on reduces the initial acceleration.

dsfyu404ed10y ago

In modern bucket seats the risk of whiplash injury is incredibly minimal. Your head doesn't have the distance to travel far enough to hurt your neck. On the other hand, standing on the brake will cause both vehicles more damage and cause the other car to decelerate more quickly, causing the occupants to experience more acceleration in a direction in which the restraints are less effective (getting pressed into seat-belts and airbags hurt more than getting pressed into a seat).

Standing on the brake is simply shifting the energy around at the expense of the other party

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ferongr10y ago

Assuming an intersection, wouldn't it be better to be rear-ended hard than having a vehicle slam into the driver's side door?

jfoster10y ago

Yep, which is why I think it depends on what's in front of you. A human probably doesn't have enough time to analyze the situation and determine whether or not they could do better than holding down the brake. A computer can probably do better in some situations.

Swizec10y ago

Well that depends in where you want the momentum to go and how rapidly do you want to and can afford to dissipate it, does it not?

I mean, if the impact is strong enough, you'll be sent flying whether you are or aren't holding the brakes. Just that if you're not, your steering wheel is still going to steer.

agumonkey10y ago

The kind of things I wish driving school could teach you. I don't know how, a set of busted cars on a driving loop with mild collision so you'd know what it feels and how to react. Kind like wet roads and collision avoidance classes.

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jfoster10y ago

Doesn't this depend on what is in front of you? If you can safely move forward, wouldn't not holding the brake be better?

crottypeter10y ago

No. Rapid acceleration from being rear-ended causes whiplash. Having brakes on reduces the initial acceleration.

dsfyu404ed10y ago

Standing on the brake is simply shifting the energy around at the expense of the other party

1 more reply

ferongr10y ago

Assuming an intersection, wouldn't it be better to be rear-ended hard than having a vehicle slam into the driver's side door?

jfoster10y ago

Swizec10y ago

Well that depends in where you want the momentum to go and how rapidly do you want to and can afford to dissipate it, does it not?

I mean, if the impact is strong enough, you'll be sent flying whether you are or aren't holding the brakes. Just that if you're not, your steering wheel is still going to steer.

agumonkey10y ago

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