Most car accidents are due to human error, however, according to a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, brake failure is accounted for about 25% of car accidents if a car issue is the main reason for the accident. Brake going out is uncommon, however, it still does happen and it’s vital to know what to do when it happens.
Stay Calm
Having a clear head behind the wheel is critical, particularly if things go wrong. If your brakes go out, it is vital not to panic and act to make sure your car is off the road.
Downshift Straightaway
Lowering your gear lets the engine slow the car down, and provide with enough time to safely pull over the road. Whether if you are driving an automatic or manual car, try to shift down smoothly through the gears. If you quickly downshift, you are risking going into a skid. Don’t turn off the car to make it stop, doing this will lose your power steering and also don’t put your car in neutral for the engine brake effect will be gone if you do this.
Try the Brakes Once More
Except if you are driving a classic car, your car will likely have a dual braking system, which works to individually control the front and rear brakes. Therefore, both halves of the braking system would have to go out for your car to completely lose its braking capability. Still, losing half of your vehicle’s braking power is sufficient to make it unsafe; however, there may still be some braking power. Try to apply strong and steady pressure on the brake pedal to check if your car will slow down.
Use the Emergency Brake
If you own a car that has a good and tough emergency brake, try to use it. In vehicles that have manual transmission, emergency brakes sometimes work through a hand-activated level found just behind the shifter, while in most automatic transmission vehicles, the emergency brakes are small pedals found on the far left of the driver side. It is advisable to use your emergency brake at slow speeds to check the stopping capability of the vehicle.
Once you’re safely stopped, seek help
After you have successfully stopped your car, do not try to drive it. Instead, call for a towing company to have to tow to a mechanic. And, abstain from turning off your car until you have completely stopped. A car that is turned off doesn’t have power steering, and without it, pulling your car can be hard or impossible.
Be sure to check out Victoria Transmission & Auto Care. They have brake repair services to help you out.
