--- title: "What kind of surface might make anti-lock bra… | Theory Test" description: "What kind of surface might make anti-lock brakes ineffective? The correct answer is “Loose”. Read the instructor's explanation of the rule behind this safety" lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://fasttrackdrivinglessons.co.uk/#organization", "name": "Fast Track Driving Lessons", "url": "https://fasttrackdrivinglessons.co.uk/", "email": "info@fasttrackdrivinglessons.co.uk", "areaServed": "GB", "description": "Intensive driving courses and driving lessons across the UK with DVSA-approved instructors." }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://fasttrackdrivinglessons.co.uk/#website", "url": "https://fasttrackdrivinglessons.co.uk/", "name": "Fast Track Driving Lessons", "publisher": { "@id": "https://fasttrackdrivinglessons.co.uk/#organization" }, "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": { "@type": "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate": "https://fasttrackdrivinglessons.co.uk/search?q={search_term_string}" }, "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "QAPage", "mainEntity": { "@type": "Question", "name": "What kind of surface might make anti-lock brakes ineffective?", "text": "What kind of surface might make anti-lock brakes ineffective?", "answerCount": 1, "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Loose. Anti-lock braking systems prevent your wheels from locking, helping you maintain steering control during emergency braking. However, on loose surfaces such as gravel or deep snow, ABS can actually increase stopping distances. Locked wheels dig into loose material to help bring the vehicle to a halt, but ABS prevents this by keeping the wheels rolling. On dry or firm roads, ABS operates normally and effectively." }, "suggestedAnswer": [ { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Dry" }, { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Firm" }, { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Smooth" } ] } } ] --- Get an exclusive 15% off - Offer ends next week! 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DVSA-style practice question · Safety Margins ## The answer options - Dry - Loose**Correct** - Firm - Smooth ## Why that is the answer Anti-lock braking systems prevent your wheels from locking, helping you maintain steering control during emergency braking. However, on loose surfaces such as gravel or deep snow, ABS can actually increase stopping distances. Locked wheels dig into loose material to help bring the vehicle to a halt, but ABS prevents this by keeping the wheels rolling. On dry or firm roads, ABS operates normally and effectively. ## How this comes up in the real test Questions from safety margins appear throughout the 50-question multiple-choice section, and the wording changes between versions. Learn the rule rather than the sentence: the DVSA can ask the same point from the opposite direction, and a memorised answer falls over the moment the phrasing moves. The pass mark is 43 out of 50, so seven wrong answers is your entire margin. 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Why is this?](/theory/questions/as-you-approach-a-right-hand-bend-you-should-keep-well-to-the-left-why-is-this) - [How can the engine of your car be used as a brake?](/theory/questions/how-can-the-engine-of-your-car-be-used-as-a-brake) - [How can you avoid wheelspin when you’re driving on an icy road?](/theory/questions/how-can-you-avoid-wheelspin-when-you-re-driving-on-an-icy-road) - [How can you tell if your vehicle's tyres are losing their grip on a wet road surface?](/theory/questions/how-can-you-tell-if-your-vehicle-s-tyres-are-losing-their-grip-on-a-wet-road-surface) - [How should you make sure your brakes are working properly after passing through floodwater?](/theory/questions/how-should-you-make-sure-your-brakes-are-working-properly-after-passing-through-floodwater) ## Ready to book the real thing? Full Membership is £49 and covers your DVSA booking, one resit with no minimum mark, cancellation checking on theory and practical tests, and the Learning Hub. 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