What is the first thing you should do if your brakes fail while driving downhill?

What is the first thing you should do if your brakes fail while driving downhill?

• A. Turn on your hazard lights
• B. Call for help
• C. Stop the vehicle in the travel lane
• D. Get off the road ASAP

Answer: (D)

When brakes fail while going downhill, the immediate danger is you can’t control your speed and you’re in a position where other traffic is moving toward you. The first priority is to get the vehicle completely out of the travel lane and onto a safe area off the road as quickly as you can. This drastically reduces the risk of a collision with other vehicles while you deal with the loss of braking capability. Once you’ve moved off the road, you can work on slowing down using engine braking by downshifting, and, if needed, gradually apply the parking brake to come to a controlled stop. Hazard lights help alert others, and calling for help is wise once you’re in a safe spot, but they don’t solve the braking problem or move you out of danger on their own. Stopping in the travel lane would leave you in the path of traffic, greatly increasing the risk of a crash.

When brakes fail while going downhill, the immediate danger is you can’t control your speed and you’re in a position where other traffic is moving toward you. The first priority is to get the vehicle completely out of the travel lane and onto a safe area off the road as quickly as you can. This drastically reduces the risk of a collision with other vehicles while you deal with the loss of braking capability. Once you’ve moved off the road, you can work on slowing down using engine braking by downshifting, and, if needed, gradually apply the parking brake to come to a controlled stop. Hazard lights help alert others, and calling for help is wise once you’re in a safe spot, but they don’t solve the braking problem or move you out of danger on their own. Stopping in the travel lane would leave you in the path of traffic, greatly increasing the risk of a crash.