What to Do If Your Brakes Go Out

Forewarned is forearmed. If your brakes suddenly stop working, you should act calmly and confidently, while our article will help you understand how to behave in this extreme situation.

5-Minute Crafts hopes that our advice will help you while on the road.

What to do if your car’s brakes go out

Almost all modern cars have a dual braking system, which controls the front and rear wheels independently. These cars are equipped with an anti-lock braking system, whose purpose is to make driving as safe as possible. Check to see if there is an ABS sign on your dashboard and if it’s there, it means your car has an anti-lock braking system. If it’s not there, it means your car is equipped with standard brakes. Nevertheless, despite being fully equipped, no one has a guarantee from brake failure while driving, and here’s what to do if this happens to you.

General recommendations:

✅ Turn on your hazard lights and signal to other drivers that something is wrong with your car (blink your headlights, if necessary, press the horn).

✅ Downshift and adjust in a safe direction.

✅ Press the brake pedal 3-4 times with quick and strong movements.

✅ If all of the aforementioned methods don’t help, use the parking brake by gradually pulling the lever up. Get ready to skid!

✅ As a last resort, try to use curbs, roadsides, and bushes at low speed. Try to brake against them from the side carefully and gently, using them as a natural obstacle.

What you shouldn’t do

❌ Don’t panic.

❌ Don’t steer the wheel too much.

❌ Do not downshift immediately. You cannot switch from the 4th gear to the 1st one right away, this can lead to the car skidding.

❌ Do not turn off the engine until the vehicle has come to a complete stop.

❌ Do not shift the transmission to a neutral gear or into reverse, otherwise, you won’t be able to brake with the help of the engine.

❌ Do not dodge from lane to lane at high speed and don’t turn off the engine.