How is the parking brake commonly engaged?

The parking brake is commonly engaged through a lever or pedal mechanism, which allows the driver to manually secure the vehicle in a stationary position. This mechanism typically consists of a hand lever or foot pedal that, when activated, applies the braking force to the rear wheels. This design is intentional, as it provides a user-friendly way for drivers to engage the parking brake without requiring significant effort, ensuring that the vehicle remains in place when parked.

Other methods, such as turning the steering wheel or pressing the brake pedal, do not activate the parking brake. The steering wheel serves different functions related to vehicle control, and pressing the brake pedal generally applies the regular braking system, which is not designed specifically for parking purposes. While there are vehicles equipped with an automatic parking brake feature that engages when the car is turned off, it is not the common method by which most drivers engage the parking brake. Therefore, using a lever or pedal mechanism accurately reflects standard practice in applying the parking brake.