What should I do if my brakes fail while driving?

Knowing what to do if you lose your brakes while driving can prevent many accidents. Do not panic and react correctly to be able to slow down without affecting your car and other drivers.

The braking system is responsible for slowing down or stopping the car completely when the brakes are applied. That is why they are so important and that you should always be aware of all their maintenance services and change parts when necessary.

We all get into the car, hoping that when we hit the brake pedal, the car will slow down. However, due to failures or lack of maintenance, they may not work, and the car simply will not slow down.

Failure of the brakes while driving is a frightening situation and can lead to a serious accident. It's best to always be mindful of the functionality of your brakes, but you also need to learn how to react if your brakes run low. 

That is why here we will tell you what to do if your car brakes fail while driving. 

1.- Don't get upset

When you panic, you don't react and you don't try to brake the car in some other way. You must have a clear mind to find the best way to stop a vehicle if it is doing so much damage.

2.- Try to warn other drivers

While other drivers probably won't know you've lost your brakes, it's best to turn on your turn signals, honk your horn, and turn your lights on and off. This will alert other drivers and will not disturb you.

3.- Engine brake 

On vehicles with a manual transmission, you can change gears using the clutch, which reduces engine acceleration. It is recommended to decrease the speed little by little, rather than suddenly, starting by changing the speed to the next lower speed and so on until the first speed is reached.

If the car is with an automatic transmission, use the gear selector to shift into second and then first gear, also marked with an L. But if you have sequential gears, shift slowly, first go to manual mode, usually located next to the option " Movement" and see how to make it change with the minus button.

4.- Get off the road

If you are on a highway, you can find a brake ramp and enter there to make your car stop. On city roads, it may be easier to slow down, as drivers do not usually drive at high speeds like they do on highways. However, take extreme precautions and look for a lane where you are not going to hit a pedestrian, building, or other vehicle.

5.- Emergency brake

After you have slowed down with the engine brake, you can start to apply the parking brake slowly. Sudden application of the parking brake can cause the tires to skid and cause you to lose control of the vehicle. 

: