What should you do if you experience brake failure while driving?

Experiencing brake failure while driving can be a frightening situation, but knowing the correct steps to take can help you regain control of your vehicle. The appropriate response is to pump the brake pedal and shift to lower gears.

Pumping the brake pedal can often build up enough brake fluid pressure to bring the brakes back to life, at least temporarily. This technique can help you slow down your vehicle and potentially regain braking function. In conjunction with this, shifting to lower gears allows the engine to help slow the vehicle down through engine braking. As you downshift, the reduction in speed can also assist in reducing the overall speed of the vehicle, helping you to bring it to a safer stop.

Although turning off the engine may seem like a viable option, it can lead to a loss of steering control and responsiveness, making it more difficult to navigate the vehicle to safety. Similarly, applying the parking brake immediately without slowing the vehicle down first may cause the wheels to lock up, resulting in potential loss of control. It’s also not advisable to coast in neutral, as this eliminates any control you have over acceleration and braking. Thus, the combination of pumping the brakes and downshifting positions you best to handle a brake failure situation effectively.