What should you do in case of brake failure while driving?

When experiencing brake failure while driving, the most effective immediate response is to pump the brakes and steer to safety. Pumping the brakes can sometimes create enough pressure in the braking system to engage the brakes temporarily, allowing for limited stopping power. This technique gives the driver the opportunity to maintain control of the vehicle and steer it towards a safe area away from traffic or obstacles.

Steering to safety is crucial as it allows the driver to navigate the vehicle to a less obstructed area, thereby reducing the risk of accidents. By doing so, you can avoid a potentially dangerous situation and safely bring the vehicle to a stop once conditions permit.

While other choices might seem feasible, they do not address the urgency and practical actions needed in this critical scenario. Simply shifting to a higher gear may not effectively contribute to slowing down the vehicle and could exacerbate the situation. Pulling over and stopping immediately with no brakes can lead to loss of control and a crash. Using the emergency brake and turning off the engine without first maneuvering the vehicle could also result in a dangerous situation because the emergency brake is not always capable of stopping a vehicle traveling at higher speeds, and turning off the engine removes power steering and power brakes, making control more difficult.