What should you do if your brakes fail while driving?

When faced with brake failure while driving, the correct action is to shift to a lower gear, pump the brakes, and use the emergency brake if necessary. This approach helps in several important ways:

Shifting to a lower gear reduces the speed of the vehicle through engine braking, which can help slow down the vehicle without relying on the brakes. Pumping the brakes can help build up hydraulic pressure in the brake lines if there is a minor brake issue, which may restore some braking function temporarily. Finally, using the emergency brake provides an additional method to slow or stop the vehicle. The emergency brake is designed to engage the rear brakes and can be a reliable tool in a situation where the main brake system has failed.

The other options present solutions that either do not effectively address the situation or could potentially lead to more dangerous outcomes. For instance, turning off the engine and coasting could lead to a loss of steering control, making it difficult to navigate safely. Steering off the road and hitting something soft may seem like a viable option but can still result in injury or damage depending on circumstances. Continuously sounding the horn is unlikely to be effective in stopping the vehicle and does not provide any control over the vehicle's direction or speed.