How to Deal with Brake Failure?
Car mechanical failure can occur anywhere and at any time, and it can be a nightmare. The only way to avoid it is by opting for periodic car maintenance. It is everyone's wish that mechanical failure does not happen when you are driving your vehicle. Brake failure is the worst failure one would hope for, especially while driving the car. If your brakes are not working, it is extremely dangerous as there is no way of stopping your vehicle. Brake failure is life-threatening apart from significant damage to your car. This article will help you to make better decisions if your brakes ever fail.
What to do During Brake Failure?
Here’s what you need to do if you ever face brake failure:
MAINTAIN COMPOSURE
After encountering brake failure, the first and foremost thing is to remain calm and start evaluating your options for stopping the car and keeping everyone safe. If you panic, it will only add up to your worries as you will not think with a clear head, and things may eventually end badly for you.
KEEP PRESSING BRAKES
If you drive an old vehicle, it is vital that you keep pushing your brakes hard enough to create pressure and hope that the brakes start working and eventually stop the vehicle. Modern cars are equipped with dual brakes meaning your front and back brakes work separately. It might be possible that either one of the brakes is still working in case of no complete failure. So, press your brakes hard enough to stop the vehicle slowly.
DOWNSHIFT YOUR GEAR
Irrespective of your car transmission (automatic or manual), you can stop your car by downshifting by taking your foot off the accelerator and allowing the engine to speed down and eventually come to a complete stop slowly. Please do not put your car gear in neutral to stop it, as it will destroy your engine as well. Downshift gear-wise without skipping any.
USE EMERGENCY BRAKES
Emergency brakes function separately and have no link with the primary car brakes. It means you have an option to use emergency brakes in case your brakes are not responding. PitStopArabia recommends not to use the emergency brake suddenly as it may force your car to go out of control or even cause it to flip over. Moreover, never use it at high speed. Make sure that your car speed is low enough to use the emergency brake gradually and slowly.
MAKE YOUR SURROUNDINGS COUNT
You can use the surroundings to your advantage to stop an out-of-control vehicle. If you feel the car is getting out of control or there is much traffic on the road, you can take your car off the road and onto an open field to help the car stop. You can use the guard rail and rub your car against it, which will create friction and help you to slow down. Using your surroundings to stop the vehicle should be your last resort.
PULLOVER
When you manage to stop your vehicle after a struggle, your job does not end there. You should make sure that you stop or pull over on the side of the road away from the oncoming traffic and use your hazard lights to warn other drivers on the road. Only come out of the car when the path is clear.
Call the Recovery Service
After you regain your composure, call a car recovery service. Tell them the precise location along with the vehicle make and model. We want to highlight that PitStopArabia has a vehicle recovery service that operates throughout the UAE. If you ever face any issues, call us right away. As we have a large fleet of recovery vehicles, your wait time will be minimal.
Wrap Up
It concludes today’s blog post. Today, you learnt about handling brake failure. We hope and pray that you never come across such a situation in your life. However, if you do, use the above knowledge. Lastly, share it with friends and family so that they can benefit too. Thank You.