If your brakes fail while driving, what should be your first action?

When faced with brake failure while driving, the most effective first action is to pump the brake pedal and shift to lower gears. Pumping the brake pedal can help build up some brake pressure, especially if the failure is due to a temporary loss of pressure or if the brakes can be somewhat engaged. This action may allow the driver to slow the vehicle down before choosing a more critical emergency measure.

Shifting to lower gears is essential because it utilizes the engine's braking power, which helps to reduce speed. As the car shifts into lower gears, the engine can slow the vehicle down, providing you with more control and reducing the need to rely solely on the brakes. This combination of actions helps maintain better vehicle control in a potentially perilous situation.

Choosing to turn off the engine can lead to a loss of power steering and power brakes, which would make it much more difficult to control the vehicle. Using hazard lights is important for warning other drivers but does not directly help with stopping the vehicle. Accelerating to stop quickly is counterintuitive and dangerous, as it increases speed and makes it more challenging to regain control of the car. Therefore, pumping the brakes and downshifting is the most logical and prudent approach during brake failure.