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skidmark · 01-21-2012, 12:03 PM

I am occasionally asked about using the left foot for braking instead of the right foot. The usual justification given for this is that the brakes may be applied more quickly because the left foot is ready while the right foot is busy with the accelerator pedal. While there are different schools of thought on whether this is appropriate for highway driving it may not be a good idea for the average driver.

An important job for your left foot and the leg attached to it is to press against the raised portion on the left side of the driver's foot well. This action forces the driver into the seat and anchors the body leaving the arms free to steer with during lateral acceleration and heavy braking. Staying in complete control means not hanging on to the steering wheel in order to keep your body in position.

If you get lazy and ride the brake with your left foot enough to light the brake lights will confuse the driver behind you. Are you stopping or not? Confusion like this will lead to an increased chance of being hit from behind and contributes to excessive brake wear and poor fuel economy.

In the event of a collision, the resulting pressure on both the brake and the accelerator will reduce the effectiveness of the brakes at a time when they are needed.

Finally, check with your driving examiner. Left foot braking during a road test may not be acceptable in all circumstances.

Reference Links

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01-21-2012, 12:03 PM	#1
skidmark Retired Traffic Cop Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Nanoose Bay, BC Posts: 9,025 Thanked 126 Times in 68 Posts Failed 3 Times in 2 Posts	DriveSmartBC - Final Article I am occasionally asked about using the left foot for braking instead of the right foot. The usual justification given for this is that the brakes may be applied more quickly because the left foot is ready while the right foot is busy with the accelerator pedal. While there are different schools of thought on whether this is appropriate for highway driving it may not be a good idea for the average driver. An important job for your left foot and the leg attached to it is to press against the raised portion on the left side of the driver's foot well. This action forces the driver into the seat and anchors the body leaving the arms free to steer with during lateral acceleration and heavy braking. Staying in complete control means not hanging on to the steering wheel in order to keep your body in position. If you get lazy and ride the brake with your left foot enough to light the brake lights will confuse the driver behind you. Are you stopping or not? Confusion like this will lead to an increased chance of being hit from behind and contributes to excessive brake wear and poor fuel economy. In the event of a collision, the resulting pressure on both the brake and the accelerator will reduce the effectiveness of the brakes at a time when they are needed. Finally, check with your driving examiner. Left foot braking during a road test may not be acceptable in all circumstances. Reference Links Thanks to all who have read and responded to my articles here in the forum. If you would like to continue to read them you can do one of two things: Sign up for the DriveSmartBC newsletter by sending a blank e-mail to drivesmartbc_updates@drivesmartbc.ca Follow @DriveSmartBC on Twitter __________________ Have you ever met anyone that would admit to being less than a better than average driver ?? Learn more at DriveSmartBC Last edited by skidmark; 07-16-2023 at 01:52 PM.