Use your brakes only when you need them and avoid using abrupt motions. When applying the brakes, the ball of your foot should be in the center of the pedal. If your foot does not reach that far or you're too close, make sure to adjust your seat to a better position.

Use one foot to operate the brakes and the accelerator. This ensures that you do not apply them at the same time and unnecessarily wear out the brakes before their time.

Easy does it when it comes to brakes. When you're approaching a place where you need to stop, do so with a gradual movement and then ease off the pedal when you're close to that area. This prevents you from making an abrupt stop.

Be aware of your surroundings and take a quick look around to see if you're near any intersections or stop signs or lights. Look a few cars ahead to see if you're approaching more congestion, so you can slow down before you get to the hairy spot. Stay alert as to what other drivers may be doing.

Avoid speeding, so that you do not need to slam on the brakes when the traffic pattern suddenly changes. Reduce your speed by going into a coasting mode, which means that you lay off the brakes. You may also want to get into the practice of hovering over the brake pedal, so that you're prepared to use it.