A hand brake is a braking system designed to provide additional and emergency support to the service brakes of a vehicle.
Hand brakes, also known as parking brakes and emergency brakes, are designed to back up the transmission and keep a vehicle in place when parked. They always should be engaged when a vehicle is parked on an incline, as the parking mechanism is not a sufficient counter to the pull of a vehicle's weight. They also provide an emergency backup system should the service brakes fail. Some vehicles have a foot lever parking brake, while others have a hand brake located to the right of the driver's seat.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas law requires parking brakes in all passenger vehicles made after 1960. Parking brakes must be fully functional and easily operated. Hand brakes and foot lever parking brakes are acceptable.
Every vehicle registered in the state of Texas is required to undergo an annual safety inspection. During this inspection, the vehicle's parking brake will be examined and tested. Once applied, the parking brake must stay engaged until released. Once engaged, the parking brake must hold the vehicle in place even when the transmission is placed in gear and accelerated. The brake must release fully when the release mechanism is activated. If a parking brake is not present or fully functional, the vehicle will not pass inspection. The parking brake will be examined for missing, damaged or badly worn parts, and pull cables will be examined to determine if they are badly worn, stretched, frayed or not operating freely. If they are damaged or inadequate, the vehicle will not pass inspection.
