At what speed should you avoid using brakes while attempting to avoid a crash?

When attempting to avoid a crash, you should avoid using the brakes when traveling at speeds around 20 mph, as the momentum and inertia at that speed can make sudden braking more likely to result in loss of control. At this speed, it is often more effective to steer or maneuver the vehicle to avoid the hazard rather than braking abruptly, which could lead to skidding or losing traction on the road surface.

Braking suddenly at lower speeds, like 10 mph or 15 mph, generally causes less risk of losing control, while at higher speeds, such as 25 mph, the potential for severe impact increases significantly. Therefore, 20 mph is a critical speed where steering is often the better option to maintain control and effectively avoid a collision.