In an automobile, the dead pedal, often referred to as a footrest, is located to the left of the other pedals. Unlike the throttle, brake or clutch pedal, the dead pedal does not move and is not connected to anything. The dead pedal can serve several important purposes:
- It acts as a foot rest for the left foot, for the comfort of the driver.
- In cars with manual transmissions, it helps keep the driver from riding the clutch.
- It helps brace the driver whilst performing extreme maneuvers.
The use of the dead pedal is particularly prevalent in Right Hand Drive markets where the door's bulkhead cannot be used to rest the left foot, for example in the Renault Megane
This area may also include other features not associated with direct operation of the vehicle, for instance a foot button for control of the lights or radio. On certain models of Mercedes Benz, the parking brake is a pedal located here.
Famous quotes containing the word dead:
“Why the ghosts of poor old dead Romans should be dragged in every time a man eats an oyster, I don’t see. We’re as fine specimens as they were. I swear I shan’t let any old turned-to-clay Lucullus outlive me, even if I’ve never eaten a lamprey.”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)