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DMV Permit · Emergencies

If your brakes suddenly fail at speed, what should you do first?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

Shift to a lower gear and look for a safe escape route

  1. A Shift to a lower gear and look for a safe escape route
  2. B Steer onto the shoulder immediately
  3. C Pump the brake pedal repeatedly
  4. D Turn off the engine

Why this is the answer

If brakes fail suddenly, the priority is to slow the vehicle using whatever means you have. First, pump the brake pedal — on hydraulic systems this can sometimes restore enough pressure to slow the vehicle (it does not work for air systems). Then downshift to use engine braking, which slows the vehicle especially well in lower gears. Look for a safe place to steer to: uphill terrain, a soft shoulder, or a long flat stretch where you can coast to a stop. As a last resort, scrape the side of the vehicle along a guardrail to bleed off speed. Pull the parking brake gradually, not abruptly (an abrupt pull at speed can lock the rear wheels and cause a spin). Turning off the engine eliminates power steering and power brakes (in some vehicles) and is generally a bad idea while moving.
Source: Standard state driver handbook, Brake Failure

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About this topic: Emergencies

Blowouts, brake failures, off-road excursions, and skids are rare but high-stakes. Practiced responses prevent panic reactions that can turn a recoverable situation into a fatal one. This is one of 11 DMV Permit questions on emergencies, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our DMV Permit exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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State-specific guides

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