What should you do if your brakes fail while driving?

If your brakes fail while driving, pumping the brake pedal is an immediate action that can help build up pressure in the braking system, potentially allowing the brakes to engage again. This method is particularly relevant for vehicles equipped with traditional hydraulic brake systems, where pumping the brakes can enable some braking power to return, especially if the failure is only partial.

Pumping the brakes can sometimes help if the loss of braking pressure is due to air getting into the brake line or if the brake fluid is low. In this situation, regaining braking ability can provide you with the necessary response to navigate the vehicle safely to a stop.

In contrast, shifting to a higher gear, steering into oncoming traffic, or accelerating are not effective responses to brake failure. Shifting to a higher gear does not assist with stopping and can actually lead to more dangerous situations, while steering into oncoming traffic is hazardous and could result in a collision. Accelerating does not help regain control; rather, it increases speed, making the situation more dangerous and difficult to manage. Thus, pumping the brake pedal is the most prudent and sensible option to potentially restore braking function and regain control of the vehicle.