In most cases though if you pay attention to the road and the conditions around you, engine braking can be used quite effectively, and it is not as jarring as braking using the brakes. This helps when you've got friends/family that easily get car sick, mainly due to the jerky motions from people hitting the gas too hard, and slamming on their brakes.
I use my engine to brake about as much as I use my brakes. It provides for a smoother ride overall.
That being said, engine braking tends to only work really well with stick shifts...
