Chapter 7: Demands on Brakes While Driving

The “Demands on Brakes While Driving” chapter in the Ontario air brake test guide highlights the various stresses brakes endure during regular vehicle operation.

Ontario Air Brake Test - Chapter 7: Demands on Brakes While Driving

1 / 35

Brakes slow a vehicle by converting its moving energy into

Electricity

Heat

Sound

Light

2 / 35

In an air brake system, higher brake demand requires

Only a change in tire pressure

Less brake application pressure and less pedal travel

No change in brake application pressure

Greater brake application pressure and more pedal travel

3 / 35

Good driving habits that reduce brake heat include

Anticipating road conditions and leaving enough time to stop

Following other vehicles closely

Ignoring road and traffic conditions

Making sudden, hard stops whenever possible

4 / 35

Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) are designed to

Work only at very low speeds

Eliminate the need for regular brakes

Sense wheel speed and reduce brake force to a wheel about to lock

Lock the wheels faster

5 / 35

Repeated or severe brake use, such as on long steep hills, can cause

Only tire wear

Higher-than-normal brake operating temperatures

Lower brake temperatures

No change in brake temperature

6 / 35

Small losses in braking ability due to out-of-adjustment brakes are

Always obvious to the driver

Unlikely to be noticed during normal driving

Only present when the engine is off

Visible on the dashboard

7 / 35

Keeping a safe distance behind other vehicles helps by

Reducing harsh brake use and excessive heat build-up

Only improving fuel economy

Having no effect on brake usage

Increasing the need for sudden braking

8 / 35

When pushrod stroke becomes excessive, the vehicle

Gains additional braking power

Loses some of its ability to stop

Stops in a shorter distance

Is unaffected in braking

9 / 35

When vehicle weight increases, stopping distance

Only changes if the tires are worn

Stays the same

Decreases regardless of weight

Increases in proportion to the increase in weight

10 / 35

Proper brake adjustment ensures that the brake chamber

Produces as little force as possible

Only works when the vehicle is parked

Always produces the necessary force

Never needs to be inspected

11 / 35

ABS warning indicator lights or malfunction lamps are

Required to be turned off at all times

Used to indicate the status of the system and warn of malfunctions

Not important for the driver to understand

Only decorative

12 / 35

Air brake systems have a built-in delay in brake application and release of up to

One second

One-half second

Two seconds

Five seconds

13 / 35

Brake force at a wheel drops significantly when

The parking brake is released

Tire pressure is at the recommended level

Brake chamber pushrod stroke becomes excessive

The vehicle is unloaded

14 / 35

Overloading a vehicle affects the braking system by

Having no effect on braking performance

Only affecting fuel consumption

Possibly exceeding its capacity to safely stop the vehicle

Improving its ability to stop quickly

15 / 35

You should not expect ABS to

Shorten the stopping distance of your vehicle

Help prevent wheel lock

Help maintain steering control

Function during heavy brake use

16 / 35

If you double your vehicle weight and double your speed, your stopping distance

Increases by eight times

Stays the same

Doubles

Increases by four times

17 / 35

High demands on brakes that can expose poor adjustment include

Driving at very low speeds only

Parking on level ground

Idling the engine in neutral

Heavier loads, higher speeds, long downhill grades, or emergency stops

18 / 35

Under normal driving conditions on clean, dry roads, the difference between vehicles with and without ABS in stopping distance is

Very large

Not noticeable

Always in favor of ABS by half the distance

Always in favor of non-ABS vehicles

19 / 35

If an ABS malfunction occurs, the driver should know that

Regular brake function is still available

All braking ability is lost

Only the parking brake will work

The vehicle cannot be stopped at all

20 / 35

As brake components heat up and become less effective, you may need to

Press harder on the brake pedal to get enough brake force

Stop using the pedal entirely

Only use the parking brake

Press more lightly on the brake pedal

21 / 35

In extreme cases, such as long downhill travel at excessive speed with an overloaded vehicle, brake fade can become so severe that

You may be unable to slow or stop the vehicle

The brakes stop producing heat

The brakes automatically repair themselves

Only the horn stops working

22 / 35

Engine brakes, retarders, or auxiliary brakes are used to

Heat the brakes faster

Increase engine noise only

Replace the service brake system entirely

Help slow the vehicle and avoid excessive brake temperatures

23 / 35

Excessive brake heat can

Damage brake components

Only change the brake pedal color

Have no long-term effect

Improve brake performance permanently

24 / 35

ABS helps prevent tire skid and loss of steering control, thereby

Improving vehicle safety during heavy braking or poor traction

Making it impossible to brake on ice

Shortening stopping distances in all conditions dramatically

Eliminating the need for safe following distances

25 / 35

The reduction in braking effectiveness caused by heat is called

Brake surge

Brake lock

Brake swell

Brake fade

26 / 35

Brake systems are designed for vehicles that are

Loaded beyond their rated capacity

Used only at low speeds

Always empty

Loaded within their rated capacity

27 / 35

Increasing a vehicle’s speed or weight affects the brake system by

Having no effect on the brake system

Increasing the demand on the brake system

Only affecting the steering system

Decreasing the demand on the brake system

28 / 35

When a wheel locks and a tire skids, a vehicle

Is unaffected in handling

Stops in a shorter distance with full control

Gains better steering control

Loses steering control and directional stability

29 / 35

Brakes that are out of adjustment can be detected

By looking at the tires

Only by a reliable inspection method

Only by listening to brake noise

Just by feeling the brake pedal

30 / 35

The delay in an air brake system must be considered when determining

Suitable following distances and stopping actions

Tire rotation schedules

Mirror adjustment only

Radio volume

31 / 35

When speed is doubled, the stopping distance

Increases by two times

Increases by four times

Decreases by half

Stays the same

32 / 35

When a brake is out of adjustment and pushrod stroke exceeds the adjustment limit, braking ability is

Automatically corrected by ABS

Unchanged

Reduced

Increased

33 / 35

For safety, the full capacity of the brake system

Only matters on dry roads

Must always be available

Can be ignored on light vehicles

Is rarely needed and not important

34 / 35

When brake chamber pushrod stroke exceeds the adjustment limit, braking ability

Remains unchanged

Only affects steering

Can be reduced so much that the brakes may not stop or hold the vehicle

Is improved for emergency situations

35 / 35

In Ontario, vehicles with air brakes must be checked

Only when the brakes feel weak

At least once each day for correct adjustment

Once a month for correct adjustment

Only at annual inspections

Your score is

It explains how frequent or prolonged braking, especially on long descents or in heavy traffic, can cause heat buildup, reducing brake effectiveness or “brake fade.” The chapter emphasizes the importance of proper braking techniques, such as using engine braking and maintaining safe following distances to prevent overuse. Understanding these demands helps drivers operate their vehicles safely, anticipate potential brake issues, and pass the Ontario air brake test, ensuring both personal and public safety on the road.