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Article: Antilock Brakes Make Accidents Hard to Track; Investigators Say Lack of Telltale Skid Marks Hampers Ability to Reconstruct Scene
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- July 15, 1992
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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The 1989 Ford Taurus skidded to a screeching halt, leaving
behind a strip of rubber, enough to show that it was traveling at
about 40 miles an hour when the brakes were applied.
A few yards away, a second car, a 1992 Oldsmobile 88 Royale
equipped with antilock brakes, was brought to a sudden stop from the
same speed. But there was no skid, no screech - and virtually no
telltale skid trail.
The performance of the Olds demonstrates how technological
advances sometimes have unintended side effects that create new
problems.
Antilock brakes are increasingly being installed on cars sold
in the United States, providing an improved braking system that
reduces the chance of skidding out of ...