In driving, is it necessary to always step on the clutch before stepping on the brake??

Question

In driving, is it necessary to always step on the clutch before stepping on the brake??

Answer 1

No, it is not.

The clutch is used to disengage the engine from the rest of the drivetrain.

Use the clutch when you change gears. You will be changing gears as you come to a stop. For just slowing down, where you will not need to shift, you will not need the clutch.

Answer 2

When approaching a stop step on brake and push shifter out of gear, No clutch required.

Answer 3

Only if you anticipate a full stop.

Answer 4

No, it is NOT necessary to depress the clutch each time you step on the brake.

In fact you really don't want to do it. When the clutch is depressed the engine drops to idle, then when it is re-engaged it has to spin the engine back up to the wheel speed using the clutch disk.

This cannot only cause undue wear on the clutch, but can cause a loss of traction at the drive wheels, and even a loss of control. Racing instructors call it "trailing- clutch oversteer". Body shops call it a gift.

The clutch pedal should only be used at two times:

1. When the shift lever is in motion

2. When the car has almost rolled to a complete stop (less than 5 mph.).

Answer 5

yes if you are driving a stick. If you do not step on the clutch you will stall the car.

Answer 6

When APPROACHING a stop sign, red light, or any slowing of the vehicle,  you can step on the brake any time and hold it until the car gets to about 7-10 mph and THEN you will need to depress the pedal to keep the engine from stalling as you come to a complete stop. Depressing the clutch pedal for any other reason just causes undue wear on the throwout bearing, a VERY expensive part to have to replace.

Answer 7

this depends on the abs system fitted to your car, the clutch assists braking by using the engine to brake, as the engine revs slow down, so does the car, you put your clutch down just before the car stops. check your handbook. please check this out or you could end in a skid.

Answer 8

No, if you are simply trying to slow down from the highway (55) to move to an off ramp then no but if you're going to stop then you eventually will need to.

When approaching a stop I usually will downshift to help slow the car down then apply the clutch fully when coming to a stop.

Answer 9

if u are stopping the car for lights or whatever then h**l no, don't press the clutch til u r almost stopped, or feel u r going to stall the car.  the reason for this is the clutch actually makes u go faster when u r slowing down.  i always put my foot just above the clutch (without actually pressing it til needed for sure) and press my brakes.

the reason i say no is i was involved in a crash on the D road where i live.  traffic hadf stopped but i couldn't really tel that they had just that the guy was slowing down.  then he suddenlt had stopped so i had to brake a bit harder.  i automatically put my foot on the brakes and clutch so ended up in the back of him.  if i hadn't used my clutch (which was automatic for me at the time) then i would have stopped in time and things would have been ok

Answer 10

NO  you only need to push in the clutch before the car starts   sounding like its going to die or you come to a complete stop. the less you use your clutch the longer it will last

Answer 11

In a situation where you are deccelerating, you would not step on the clutch, you would use the engine for braking either on it's own or in conjunction with the brakes, downshifting also is used, it makes for more controlled driving...