You’re driving down the road and your tires slip on black ice and your car starts spinning. Your breath catches in your throat. You have to stop your car immediately, but your brakes are malfunctioning. What do you do? No one wants to be in that situation. We know what to do to get you out of it. Pay close attention to the following steps so that you will know what to do if your brakes malfunction. Better yet, get your brakes checked regularly so that you do not have to experience this.
1. Try again
If your brakes are just not working, the first thing you should do is try again. It’s worth a shot. If the front wheels’ brakes aren’t working, the back wheels’ brakes might still work. If your brakes are actually working, you will need to know this as soon as possible.
You might not be putting enough pressure on the brake pedals. If this is the case, the brakes could actually work if you just push a bit harder. Try one more time. Hopefully, they work and you are safe.
If you have regular brakes, you should pump the pedal three or four times to build up brake fluid pressure. If you have anti-lock brakes, then you should press the pedal to the floor. If the car shakes, that means your brakes are working. This will be a huge relief. You can take a deep breath and continue driving.
2. Try slowing down in other ways
Even if your brakes are not working, there are other ways to slow down. You can take your foot off of the gas pedal. You can also downshift. You should make sure that you do this as soon as possible.
Reduce your speed however you can. If you are in a manual vehicle, downshift the gears if you can. If you are in an automatic car, shift into neutral. Anything helps.
3. Don’t turn off the engine until you have stopped the car
Do not ever turn off your engine until you have come to a full stop. Doing this is extremely dangerous. It doesn’t help you slow down. The airbags and power steering are turned off too.
3. Steer the car to a safe place
You should immediately get off of the road. If you’re in the right lane, you should move to the shoulder. If you’re in the left lane, move to the shoulder on the left if there is one, or move to the right lane so that you can then move to the right shoulder. Only steer the driving wheel slightly so that you can maintain as much control as possible over your vehicle.
4. Use the emergency brake
The emergency brake is there for a reason. Use it. It could save your life. If your parking brake is a manual lever, press the button and push it all the way down. If your parking brake is a pedal-style brake, you can either release it by pulling on the handle or you can release it by pressing on the pedal and lifting.
5. Alert other drivers
It is terrifying when your brakes malfunction on the road. This is a horrifying situation for you and for other drivers. Alert other drivers as soon as possible.
This is a dangerous situation for both you and other drivers. Alert them about what you are experiencing in any way that is humanly possible. Turn on your hazard lights and honk your horn so that they know what’s going on. They’ll realize that you can’t slow down, and they’ll be able to move out of the way.
6. Take your car to the mechanic
It’s best to prevent this problem through regular maintenance. You will not have to deal with brakes that malfunction on the road. The best way to prevent a brake failure is by regularly maintaining your brakes.
Take your car to the mechanic as often as you possibly can. This will prevent any issues with your brakes. It is definitely a good idea to take care of this sooner than later.
7. Find a good lawyer
You might run into another driver and get into trouble because your brakes are malfunctioning while you are driving. Some people will be very upset and you will have to deal with the law. In that case, it is always a good idea to hire a good lawyer.
You might not be legally responsible for your brakes malfunctioning. If you get into an accident, keep this in mind. It is a good idea to hire an excellent lawyer in this case. They will be able to argue in your favor if someone is trying to paint you in an unfavorable light.
Many people have gotten into accidents while driving. It is extremely nerve-wracking when your brakes malfunction on the road. You fear for your life and are in danger of losing it. You are also in danger of injuring other drivers.
Many suffer from trauma due to these experiences. It can take years to heal from such accidents emotionally. These accidents can also cause serious physical injuries that are very challenging to heal from.
You want to avoid this situation completely. You want to take good care of your car so that you do not get into accidents, risk your own life, or endanger others. Repairs for these car accidents can be extremely expensive.
It’s much cheaper to simply check your brakes routinely. Bring your vehicle into the mechanic. Ask them as many questions as you need to.
Learn More About Brakes Malfunction While You’re Driving
We hope that you never have to experience this situation. However, if for some reason you do, we hope this helps you stay as safe as possible. We are here to prevent drivers from terrifying situations such as malfunctioning brakes.
If possible, please go to your mechanic regularly so that they can check your brakes consistently. Always check your brake fluid before you start driving. You will be grateful that you did. Keep yourself and others safe. Please request a tow from Geyers Towing if you’re in a jam.
