The latest emergency braking technique taught to professional drivers and government bodies in many countries around the world.

The solution is simple and is one taught by security forces around the world, as well as at the FBI Driver Training centre at Quantico, Virginia. In the UK it is known as Threshold Braking although other terms are used in certain countries. Developed from the skills used by Formula One drivers, Threshold braking is very simple. If you consider the reason why cars skid which is a loss of friction caused by either a smooth road surface, a wet road surface or simply by excessive brake pressure - it is obvious from a theoretical viewpoint that reducing that pressure will remove the problem.

This is the theory. In practice, however, it takes more skill to only remove the excessive pressure and to allow the vehicle to brake at maximum efficiency. A look at the braking diagram will illustrate the prob­lem, but from a practical self-training point of view, you will need a car equipped with some old, worn tyres. (The reason for this is the high risk of "flat-spotting" the tyres at first and the excessive wear caused by severe braking.) After equipping the vehicle, you will need an off-road site suitable for prac­tice. Many disused airfields and other facilities exist and it is well worth tracking down your nearest one.

Now you need to ensure that the ABS will operate or the vehicle will lock-up. A safe way of trying this is to carry out a series of emergency stops from 25mph and increasing the speed in 5mph increments. By 35mph you should be experiencing ABS operation or leaving strips of hot rubber on the surface of your test area. Now try an emergency stop at 40mph but as soon as the vehicle locks-up or the ABS begins to clatter, gently release braking pressure until grip is restored or the noise of the ABS stops. Now comes the difficult part. Hold your foot at this point and you can maintain maximum braking effi­ciency. Gently applying mo re pressure will prove this as the skid will re-start or the ABS cuts in again. Now you have achieved braking that is more effective than ABS, and retained full control of the vehicle. 

From the simplified graph, you can determine that the principal benefit of Threshold Braking is to offer control and stability that even ABS cannot achieve and to ensure that control of the vehicle is down to  you and not an unreliable mechanical or electronic device. Currently 10% of all ABS systems are either not functioning or defective in some way. Unfortunately the drivers of these vehicles will never know un­til it is too late. The operational efficiency  of ABS systems is getting better, but is not as good as the track  record of the brakes themselves.

Using the Threshold Braking technique, now you can develop the ability to brake and avoid the hazard. To do this, you need to  set up an obstacle, preferably using traffic cones, (see diagram),  then simply  carry out the same exercise as before . This time, however, you need to remember that the point of the exercise is to steer around the obstacle rather than simply to brake. Once you brake and obtain control through threshold braking, steer smoothly but hard to clear the obstacle, then correct the steering so that you end up parallel to the target. This is to simulate a lane change or move to the hard-shoulder of a  motorway. After several attempts , your confidence will rapidly grow and the simple act of lane changing will become second nature - which is exactly what you will need in an emergency.

1. Apply maximum braking, then release as wheels begin to lock, freeze as soon as nearest point below lock-up is achieved
2. Steer in the chosen direction, smoothly and looking precisely at where you wish the vehicle to go. 
3. Correct the direction of travel and either remain in the next lane or return  to the centre as you see fit.

You can also try the exercise with the ABS alone if your vehicle is so equipped. The effect is the same but the braking less efficient. You will also notice the change in the way the ABS operates while steering, continually adjusting to compensate for the difference in the available grip. Trying to beat the ABS is a good indicator of your skill level as the ABS will give you somewhere between 85% and 95% brak­ing efficiency, whereas Threshold braking offers 98/99% in a continuous format. As you gain confidence, try to work on avoidance in both directions - our instincts may well want us to move to the left, but the escape route will often be to our right. Once you feel confident, you may like to vary the shape and size of your exercise area, narrower lanes etc. If you are confident in your ability to avoid hazards instinctively, you only need to practice the methods of finding escape routes mentioned previously.

Another useful addition may be to find a local skid-pan or to use your training site on a wet day when the same effect can be achieved at lower speeds and the drama of the potential skid is increased. Remem­ber to allow plenty of room for mistakes though! If you have access to a skid-pan, consider taking some professional training in skid control and then add this to your armoury. Skids do not only occur under braking, so a thorough familiarity with the handling of your vehicle will be the most valuable accessory you  can buy and as a high-risk driver, the best investment for your business that you can make.

You may find that your instructor does not understand what you mean by Threshold Braking, but if you ask, I am sure he will let you practice. Don't be surprised by his apparent lack of knowledge - there are comparatively few instructors in the UK who understand braking techniques in such detail. Having prac­ticed this exercise and ensured that you are prepared to use it in a real emergency, then consider shar­ing  this information with family or friends.

Braking is one of the least understood but most important aspects of driving - it should be considered a potential life-saver and as such, not simply be limited to yourself, but to those around you. The same rules apply to ABS, where you may decide to use this as your primary control aid, keeping Threshold Braking for emergencies. This is OK as long as you practice and ensure that the system is well main­tained. There is little point in having ABS if the one occasion that you need it, it either fails or you forget how to use it.