(KDVR) — The old practice of “pumping your brakes” when it’s icy out isn’t very helpful for most cars these days. According to AAA, most people don’t need to — and shouldn’t — pump their brakes when their car is skidding.

For the uninitiated, pumping the brakes is when a driver steps on and off the brake pedal multiple times in a row to keep the wheels from locking up. It’s the old-fashioned way to prevent skidding on ice.

For most drivers, pumping the brakes is no longer necessary. This is because a majority of cars now have anti-lock braking (ABS) which pumps your brakes for you.

Unsure if your vehicle has ABS? According to Skyler McKinley with AAA, if you own a car that’s less than 10 years old, you have anti-lock brakes. That’s because in 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration mandated ABS.

But don’t worry if your car is older than 10 years — you most likely still have them. Anti-lock braking systems became standard in the ’90s, McKinley said.

How to tell if your car has anti-lock brakes

McKinley recommends checking the owner’s manual, which will say whether or not the vehicle has ABS. You can also tell if you have ABS when you’re on icy roads and in a skid.

“It’s going to be a little bit jarring the second you start braking,” McKinley said. “You’re going to feel that pushback from the ABS on your foot. You want to maintain steady pressure on that and let the ABS kick in and do the braking automatically.”

If you do have ABS and you’re still pumping your brakes, McKinley says you’re doing more harm than good. This is because steady pressure on your brakes activates the system. If you take your foot off the pedal — like when you’re trying to pump your brakes — the system won’t kick.

“You’re basically not engaging the braking system at all if you’re taking your foot off that pedal,” McKinley said.

If you’re on an icy road and your car has ABS, keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal. Whether you’re in a skid or you’re just stopping at a light, the vehicle will automatically pump the brakes to stop if your car hits a patch of ice.