How should you react if your brakes fail while driving?

When faced with brake failure while driving, the most effective response is to downshift to a lower gear and look for safely usable areas to stop. This technique helps to slow down the vehicle through engine braking, which is crucial when the traditional brake system is not functioning. By downshifting, you reduce your speed gradually, allowing for better control over the vehicle.

In conjunction with downshifting, actively searching for a safe area to stop is essential. This could be an open space or a soft shoulder where the risk of colliding with other vehicles or obstacles is minimized. It helps to stay calm and focused on finding a safe solution rather than panicking.

The other approaches wouldn't address the situation effectively. Accelerating to gain control can exacerbate the problem by increasing speed and reducing overall control. Continuously hitting the horn could make others aware of your distress but doesn't contribute to stopping the vehicle. Steering into oncoming traffic is dangerous and would likely result in a severe collision, putting you and other road users at risk. Therefore, downshifting and seeking a safe place to stop is the most strategic and safest response to brake failure.