Of all of the essential components that make up your vehicle, the brake system is by far the most important. What happens when your only means of coming to a safe stop suddenly fails? If you ever find yourself in this frightening situation, use the following steps to make it out safely.

What You Should Do When Your Brakes Fail

1. Slow Down Your Vehicle

As a last resort in the event of brake failure, most cars are equipped with an emergency brake. These usually look like long, narrow levers and are positioned alongside your leg when sitting in the driver’s seat. If your brake pedal isn’t doing the trick, carefully pull the shaft toward you, and be prepared for the vehicle to skid. If you have a manual transmission, shift the stick into a lower gear to slow your car down further.

2. Move Out of Harm’s Way

The worst part about brake failure is that it can only happen when you’re on the road, usually surrounded by other cars. This means, skidding to a stop can leave you especially at risk of being involved in a collision. As your car is coming to a halt, try to veer off to the side of the road. If not, you’ll have to slowly move to the shoulder while in neutral and then use your parking brake again to come to a complete stop. As you start moving again, turn on your hazard lights and use your horn to alert other drivers.

3. Find Professional Help

Once you’ve come to a safe and complete stop and made sure everyone in the vehicle is okay, turn your attention to your car’s condition. Call a professional towing company to take it to a repair shop that can replace or repair the brakes. When you’re there, ask what might’ve gone wrong with your brakes and how to prevent it from happening again.

If you’ve recently experienced brake failure, get in touch with Dee’s Auto Care Specialists. With convenient locations in La Crosse and Onalaska, WI, as well as Winona, MN, you won’t have to wait long to receive help from their towing crew. Once your vehicle arrives at this auto repair shop, their Automotive Service Excellence-certified crew will repair or replace your brakes to ensure you’re never caught in that frightening predicament again. For more information on their services, visit their website or call (608) 782-2530.