Final answer:
To avoid a bumpy stop when braking, one should ease off the brake pedal slightly before coming to a full stop to transition from kinetic to static friction smoothly.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you're learning to drive, it's important to understand the behaviors of your vehicle while braking. This involves the concepts of static and kinetic friction. Static friction is the resistance to movement that occurs between two resting surfaces, which is generally higher than kinetic friction, the resistance when surfaces are sliding past one another. While driving, as you press the brake pedal, kinetic friction is at work, slowing the car down. As your car approaches a complete stop, you should let up on the brake pedal slightly. Doing so allows the static friction to take over smoothly without the abrupt transition to full stop caused by the kinetic friction's sudden stop. This transition helps to avoid a bumpy stop. Additionally, understanding factors like distance covered before hitting the brakes and the time it takes to fully stop are critical for stopping safely and effectively, which also involves these friction concepts.