What should you do if your brakes fail while driving?

When faced with brake failure while driving, shifting into neutral and coasting to a stop can be a prudent first step. By shifting into neutral, you reduce the vehicle's speed without stalling the engine, allowing you to maintain better control of the car as you look for a safe place to stop. This action will enable you to use the steering to maneuver the vehicle safely, especially if you're on a busy road. Coasting gives you the chance to assess your surroundings and decide the best course of action.

Using the emergency brake immediately, while a potential option, can lead to skidding or loss of control if applied too abruptly, which may be dangerous, especially at high speeds. Turning off the ignition is not advisable since it will disable power steering and power brakes, making it harder to control the vehicle. Accelerating to gain speed in a situation where the brakes are failing would exacerbate the problem, increasing the risk of an accident.

Therefore, coasting to a stop by shifting into neutral is the safest initial response to brake failure, allowing for controlled deceleration and better decision-making for the driver.