Can driving through drifting sand prevent the car's breaking operation?

Question

I was driving thru drifting sand for a few hours, upon reaching the destination I discovered that the car breaks did not work. After a few operations the breaks started working again. The car is a Honda Accord 2006 model.

Answer 1

You probably had sand building up between the rotor and pad causing them not to work.

Answer 2

The sand could have gotten around the caliper pistons, the pads or the rotors and that might have caused this to happen, you said that all is well now but I would still have a local independent shop check the brakes just for safety reason.

Answer 3

If sand got between the brake pads and the rotors, it will act like a bunch of little ball bearings that will effect the friction between the two.