Parking brakes, also known as hand brakes, are essential components in ensuring the safety of cars and their passengers. They are designed to keep the vehicle in place when it is parked and prevent it from rolling away or shifting unexpectedly. The use of parking brakes has been emphasized by experts and safety organizations, as it plays a critical role in reducing accidents and avoiding damage to the vehicle or surrounding property.
When a car is parked on a slope or an incline, it requires extra safety measures to prevent it from rolling away. The parking brake helps to keep the car in place and protects it from moving unexpectedly.
That fact was lost through the heads of two furniture assemblers from Brazil, as seen in an incident that happened on January 19, 2023.
In a video submitted to ViralHog, which we embedded atop this page, you can see a Fiat Strada – a small truck sold in Brazil – positioning itself in reverse on a driveway. The driver and the passenger alight the vehicle and started working.
Unfortunately, the driver forgot to engage the parking brake. This resulted in the pickup truck rolling down on the (presumed) inclined driveway, hitting the garage door that was about to close, and finally coming to a stop after hitting a grassy area across the street. It wasn't a great sight, and you could actually see one of the workers trying to pull the full weight of the truck to prevent it from rolling down – to no avail, naturally.
On the bright side, it appeared that the only damages were on the truck and the garage door it hit. It's still fortunate that wasn't any car crossing the street or worse, a person walking on the sidewalk.
Pulling your handbrake levers may sound like a menial task, but let this serve as a reminder that it's just as important as filling up your tank with fuel, especially in this type of situation.
