Brake Repair & Services – More than You Wanted to Know
What to Do if Your Brakes Fail
Sudden brake failure while driving can be terrifying. Hopefully this will never happen to you, but if it does, follow these steps:
1. Immediately take your foot off the gas and look around for a place to pull over.
2. Downshift to a lower gear. If you have an automatic transmission, move it from drive into one of the lower gears.
3. Use the parking brake, once your vehicle is going 30 MPH or less. It works separately from your regular brakes, so it should still be operable.
– As last options, there are two other things you can do:
1. If you are driving alongside a divider or bridge railing, steer the side of your vehicle against it, NOT DIRECTLY INTO IT. The friction will slow you down.
2. Put the transmission in reverse. This will bring the vehicle to a sudden halt, but in all likelihood it will also destroy the transmission, resulting in costly repairs. So try this only if all other measures fail.
The Best Cure is Prevention