What Actually Occurs When You Engage The Parking Brake While Driving at High Speed | Carscoops

      Understanding that it is safe to engage the parking brake can be beneficial in an emergency situation.

      On August 9, 2025, at 21:01, Brad Anderson reported that police tested activating an electronic parking brake while driving at speed, discovering surprisingly controlled stops. Electronic parking brakes engage all four brakes and the ABS for smoother emergency stops. While it may be tempting to experiment, attempting this on public roads is unsafe and strongly discouraged.

      Recently, I was driving along an empty country highway when my gaze fell on the electronic parking brake button. With no vehicles around, I found myself curious about the effects of pulling it while in motion. I decided to give in to my curiosity and engaged it.

      Warning: Do Not Attempt This Yourself

      To my astonishment, it brought my test car to a complete stop effortlessly, aside from some beeping sounds. It turns out that many others have also been curious about how such parking brakes function while moving.

      Last week, a well-known duo of police officers in Germany conducted a similar experiment with the electronic parking brake in their cruiser, so you don't need to replicate this test yourself. Like me, they found that the vehicle came to a rapid and controlled stop, noting that activating the brake engaged all four brakes and the ABS.

      Real-World Testing at High Speeds

      Several YouTubers have carried out comparable tests over the years. Last year, a popular Russian channel, Garage 54, evaluated the electronic parking brakes of various new Chinese vehicles in motion, including a BMW 5-Series.

      Although all the systems operated, the 5-Series required significantly longer to stop, likely because it didn't engage the ABS. Back in 2019, Cleetus McFarland performed a similar test in his C7 Corvette, which also safely brought the car to a controlled stop.

      Why This Could Be Important

      In practical terms, you might question the necessity of pulling the electronic parking brake in a vehicle. One scenario demonstrated by the German police officers showed it could be helpful if the driver became drowsy or experienced a medical emergency, allowing a passenger to pull the switch to decelerate the car quickly.

      If your vehicle is equipped with a traditional e-brake, the outcome may not be as favorable. Pulling the brake would likely cause the rear wheels to lock up, with no ABS intervention.