You should avoid driving through deep puddles or flowing water. But if you must, which of these steps can help keep your brakes working?

You should avoid driving through deep puddles or flowing water. But if you must, which of these steps can help keep your brakes working?

• A. Gently putting on the brakes while driving through the water
• B. Slamming on the brakes before entering water
• C. Turning off the engine in water
• D. Using the horn to warn others

Answer: (A)

Wet brakes can lose effective friction, so keeping them in gentle contact as you drive through water helps them stay usable. Light braking pushes moisture away from the brake surfaces and allows some braking action to remain, which reduces the chance of a sudden drop in braking power once you’re out of the water. Slamming the brakes before entering water can cause loss of control, turning off the engine isn’t reliably helpful for brake performance in many trucks, and the horn won’t affect braking. So, applying light brake pressure while you pass through the water is the practical step to keep braking working.