Realizing that your car brakes are not functioning while you are driving at high speed on a freeway is simply petrifying. Brake failure is one of those roadside emergencies that not only put your own life at risk, but also threatens the safety of other drivers on the road.

There can be many causes of brake failure, but worn out pads and a significant loss of brake fluid are the major reasons.

While ideally, you should get your car regularly inspected by a professional auto mechanic to avoid getting caught in any unfortunate situation, there are ways to prevent a catastrophe when in a serious situation, such as failed brakes.

Here’s what you should do to safely handle the terrifying situation:

Don’t Lose Your Cool

First things first – do not fret or panic. While this may sound like a rhetorical advice, maintaining your calm is the prerequisite to handle any stressful or complicated situation.

Turn On the Hazard Lights

Turning on the hazard lights will alert the other drivers on the road that your vehicle is experiencing some problem and they should maintain a distance from you.

Reduce the Speed

To safely pull off your car when the brakes fail, you obviously need to reduce the speed of the car. So, slowly release the accelerator and if you have the cruise control turned on, make sure to turn it off as well.

Downshift

Another tip that will help you slow down is to bring your car to a lower gear. However, do not downshift too fast as this can cause your car to skid; do it slowly and as smoothly as possible.

In Case of Low Pressure, Try Pumping the Brake

Loose brakes are an indicator of low levels of brake fluid. When the level of brake fluid is low, there isn’t enough pressure in the brake system to create the friction needed to stop the car. In this case, you can try rebuilding the pressure by pumping the brake for 4 or 5 times.

When you feel that enough pressure might have been built, press the brake all the way down. This trick does work in some cases, so do give it a try when you are in the emergency situation.

Use the Emergency Brake

While the emergency brake may not help you to bring the car to a halt, it will definitely help you slow down.

Pull Over

Slowly, move your car to the right side of the road to pull over. However, you need to be very careful while doing so – make sure to watch out for the traffic and use the indicator to let others know that you are moving to the right side.

Look out for a patch of grass, dirt, or an inclined road to create friction and stop your car. When nothing else works, you might need to find a spot to crash your car into, such as a line of hedges, bushes, or small trees. This is the last resort and should only be attempted when all other options fail to work.

Call a Towing Service

Never attempt to drive your again in this scenario and call a towing service to take your car to a repair shop.

To get 24/7 towing service in South Jordan, UT, call South Jordan Towing at 801-474-7937 and we will immediately send help to rescue you from the roadside.

Summary

While ideally, you should get your car regularly inspected by a professional auto mechanic to avoid getting caught in any unfortunate situation, there are ways to prevent a catastrophe when in a serious situation, such as failed brakes.

The article discusses the steps you should take to safely handle the terrifying situation of brake failure.

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