New maps from WXCharts warn that the UK is set to see wintry weather extend into December, with up to seven inches of snow expected and temperatures plunging to -2°C. By December 6, snow is forecast to fall as far south as Devon, while also hitting areas including Warwickshire, Norfolk, and Lancashire. While the wintry weather might make for picturesque scenes and cosy nights indoors, it can also be particularly harsh on our vehicles — especially our brakes, which are at greater risk of rust, corrosion, or freezing in sub-zero conditions.
As temperatures drop and roads become icier, drivers are being urged to check their brakes more frequently to ensure their vehicles have optimum stopping power on wet, frozen, or snowy surfaces.
Last winter, research from Dick Lovett revealed that almost a third of Brits (30%) admit to never checking their car’s brakes, the equivalent of 12.4 million motorists* potentially at risk of malfunction. And with snow, ice, and steep temperature drops forecast across the country, that number could spell real danger on our roads.
And while most modern cars will be fitted with sensors to warn you when something isn’t quite right or needs to be replaced in your brake system, technology can fail, so it’s vital drivers carry out thorough safety checks on their brakes ahead of the winter weather. Or have a professional check them over.
Don't panic
Remaining calm and quickly – but efficiently – working your way through the below steps is vital if your brakes fail while driving.
In even the best of driving conditions, keeping a clear and cool head is the key to success. So, it’s in the best interest of yourself and other road users that you engage your ‘fight mode’, rather than your ‘flight mode’.
Come off the accelerator and check for any obstructions
Remaining calm and quickly – but efficiently – working your way through the below steps is vital if your brakes fail while driving.
In even the best of driving conditions, keeping a clear and cool head is the key to success. So, it’s in the best interest of yourself and other road users that you engage your ‘fight mode’, rather than your ‘flight mode’.
Engage your hazard lights
When your car is malfunctioning, it’s vital to turn on your hazard lights and signal to other drivers that something is wrong with your vehicle. You can also signal your horn to notify other drivers.
While doing this might not allow other drivers to fully understand that your brakes have failed, it will let them know that there’s a problem, so they can make the necessary manoeuvres that you’re not able to make to avoid collisions and road traffic accidents.
Downshift your gears…slowly
It’s important to remember that if your brakes fail, you should not shift to neutral. Instead, you’ll want to downshift through the gears normally. This is known as ‘engine braking’, and it’s important to do this slowly, as suddenly going from a high gear, like sixth, right down to first will cause a whole host of other mechanical issues.
In fact, drivers might want to consider using engine braking in non-emergencies too, as it can help to reduce wear on your vehicle’s braking system, as it isn’t using the friction of your brake pads and discs.
While drivers of manual cars should hopefully be able to stop their vehicles using gear braking, there’s still the question of what to do if the brakes fail in an automatic car.
Our previous tip about coming off the accelerator is particularly important for drivers with automatic vehicles, as coming off the accelerator should automatically cause your car to shift to lower gears. Similarly, newer automatic vehicles will have paddle shifters (usually located on the wheel) that allow drivers to manually change the gear the car is in.
Try the handbrake
Once you’ve begun engine braking, you’ll want to try your car’s handbrake. You can think of it as your ‘emergency brake’.
It can slow your car because it works separately from your car’s regular hydraulic brakes.
If your normal brakes fail, to help your car slow down while downshifting through the gears, you can slowly pull up on the handbrake to come to a complete stop.
If you have a newer vehicle, the parking brake might be engaged using a button, in which case you won’t be able to gradually brake using this option. It’s important to read your operating manual to know exactly how to emergency brake for your vehicle.
Don’t turn off your car
It might seem logical to turn off the car to disengage the engine from pushing the car forward, but you should avoid doing this if your brakes fail.
Turning off your ignition will typically shut down your power steering, which means your car will be more difficult to turn or even lock the steering wheel into place. Depending on where your brakes have failed, this could potentially be lethal.
Steer yourself to safety
As your vehicle slows, it’s crucial to steer yourself to safety at the side of the road, or up an incline slip road.
It’s much safer to stop at the side than in the middle of the road for the sake of yourself and other drivers.
Use crash barriers (if all other brake options fail)
If your brakes fail while you’re driving on a motorway or bypass, it may be necessary for you to use the crash barriers to avoid colliding with another car. You can scrape the side of your car along these to slow down.
While it’s unlikely that one of the methods above won’t help to slow your vehicle, it’s useful to have this in your mind as a last resort to bring your vehicle to a halt.