What shud be done when you are driving a car and the brakes fail?

Question

What shud be done when you are driving a car and the brakes fail?

Answer 1

depends on ur concentration if u drive or ride with open mind then down shift nd then use hand brake if in a car or on a bike simply down shift finally u will be at a speed at which u can do ne thing to save ur life decide u wanna smash ur car or jump out watever............

Answer 2

Every vehicle has two brakes, the foot pedal and the EMERGENCY brake. This would be the time to use it! If you don't have a handle between front chairs then check for a smallish foot pedal located on the left side wall of the vehicle, some where close to where you would find the hood release. The emergency brake symbol is an exclamation mark with a circle around it.

Answer 3

go and hit d oter car and run for ur life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 4

Turn the ignition off.

Answer 5

Downshift to use engine compression to slow the vehicle, firmly apply the parking brake until car comes to a complete stop.

Answer 6

Try the emergency brake, and hope.

Answer 7

''ahem,try not to crash!''...if u drive a manual[stick] then use the gears,automatics sellect 1'st,not nutral NOT  park.hand brake...but it all depends where you are and what your heading in to..if you going to collide into somethin or someone and if its safe to do so then leave the road!..i would rather hit a bush then a child....if you cant do anything then as a last resort use the crash barrier and a very slight angle[NOT HEAD ON]..the friction will slow you down

Answer 8

First - remove ur foot from the accelator. Press the clutch & move to gear 1 gradually. Try to bring it to neautral till ur speed control is <20(That's if you are not going downhill). Then apply your speed breaks. U should be safe.

Answer 9

Thats why you have a emergency brake, if time permits, you can always put the car in netural, shut it off, use you e-brake, just remember it will be harder to steer since you wont have power steering.

Answer 10

Hi,

I wanted to add in addition to:

1. try not to knee-jerk react, thinking for a moment and acting with a clear head is better than just doing something quickly in a panic

2. put your emergency flashers on immediately

3. pump the regular brake pedal to try and reestablish some brake pressure

4. press the emergency/parking brake gently

5. downshift smoothly and continuously down to 1 on an automatic or manual tranny, do not shift into neutral- use "engine braking" to help bleed off speed

6. leave the vehicle running, never turn off the ignition and lose power steering, you'll have more control

If possible, turn gently into a curb (if no other cars are there). The impact and friction will slow you down quite a bit. Obviously, you will not turn the wheels to slam into the curb, that will probably bounce you over the curb or bounce you off the curb back into traffic.

Better to destroy a tire/rim/front suspension that are somewhat easier to replace, than to continue on and possibly hit something/someone else.

Obviously, if you are not where there are curbs, then don't steer for a ditch, drop-off or soft shoulder. That will only cause the tires to lose traction, which will make the situation worse.

The odds are in your favor for less damage in a single vehicle collision than in a multiple vehicle collision. More machines mean more mass to cause more problems.

Plus, you will be responsible for any injury or damage to another person and/or their property if you hit them. You are responsible for the upkeep of your vehicle, and while the laws vary by region or state, always assume you will be held accountable if your vehicle hits someone/something else because a system fails.

Always better to trash your vehicle and walk away or only hurt yourself, than to hit someone else's vehicle and injure them.

Answer 11

Try down shifting one gear at a time.

Answer 12

Take your foot off the gas.

Downshift to slow the car.

Steer to the side of the road.

Shift the car into Neutral.

Gradually apply the emergency brake.

http://www.nsc.org/library/facts/carbrak...

Answer 13

Jump out.

Answer 14

You can start to down shift and then use e-brake.

Answer 15

1. If the gear is engage and you have no time, just switch-off   the ignition.

2. If you have some time, gradually put it to lower gears viz. 4>3>2>1 and then switch-off the ignition keeping the gear engaged.

3. You may also use the Hand-brake (Parking-brake) in event of an emergency.

Answer 16

use e-brake

Answer 17

First remain calm and think. Take you foot off the accelerator, try pumping your brakes, as most cars have a dual system which will activate two of the four brakes on the car. At the same time, begin downshifting through the gears one at a time. If you get no response from the brake pedal, then apply the e-brake as you continue to decellerate. Don't jam it on, because if the back wheels lock up, you now have a possible loss of control issue to deal with as well as a stopping issue. Keep downshifting through the gears. If you have to hit something to slow down, try to sideswipe it. Sideswiping is a better alternative to hitting it head on. The key here is to THINK.

Answer 18

Apply the Emergency Brake, then shift the car to 1st (PRND21), NOT NEUTRAL, you will fry your clutch and blow your transmission and engine maybe, but it's better then dying.

Answer 19

Put your flashers on so other drivers will know you are having some kind of trouble. Take your foot off the accelerator and let the car gradually slow on it's own. While it's doing this, try to get into the emergency lane. Don't cut the power to the engine because you will loose steering capabilities, and you'll need that to avoid other vehicles. When you finally come to a stop, put it in park, and get out of the car. Then walk around until you stop hyperventilating.

Answer 20

I hope your not going down hill when it happends...I would try the emergency  brakes first, If that fails look for the best thing to stop you .

Answer 21

If the danger is very near you then put the first gear and use the handbrake. It will destroy most of your cars mechanical parts but you have a good chance not to collide to something. If the danger is far then down shift gradually (from 4 to 3 gear the to 2 and the to 1 ) and slowly apply and release the handbrake allot of times.But NEVER NEVER turn of your engine or put neutral gear. It will kill you, because you will not have any control of the car. (First of all you have to try 2 or 3 times fast pressure release on the brakes, if there are fluids in them it will work if not then go to the main text)

Answer 22

Change the gear to 1 & then suddenly put the handbrake & and turn the stearing wheel fully. Your car will drift certainly but it will cause no damage to you or your car.