The hand brake, also known as the parking brake or emergency brake, typically controls the rear wheels of a vehicle. When the hand brake is engaged, it applies pressure to the brake shoes or brake pads located inside the brake drums or brake calipers at the rear wheels, causing them to stop or slow down the vehicle. This is done to prevent the vehicle from rolling when parked, or to provide an additional braking force when the foot brake is not sufficient.

It is important to note that some modern vehicles have electronic parking brakes that control both rear wheels simultaneously. These systems work by activating the brake calipers electromechanically, rather than mechanically through a cable.

It is also worth noting that some vehicles, such as high-performance sports cars and race cars, may have a hand brake that controls the front wheels, in addition to or instead of the rear wheels. This is known as a hand brake or "drift" brake, and it is used to control the vehicle's rotation during drifting or other high-performance maneuvers.

Side hand brake control Parking brake control handle guard-light green