If your vehicle doesn’t have antilock brakes (ABS) and your brakes fail while you’re driving, which of the following should you do FIRST?

Explanation

If your vehicle is equipped with ABS, depress the brake pedal firmly and see if your vehicle slows down. If your vehicle is not equipped with ABS, try to pump the brake pedal to build up brake pressure. If the brakes still don't work, shift into a lower gear (even if your vehicle has an automatic transmission) to slow your vehicle down. You can turn off the engine while leaving the car in gear, and the engine will slow you down. (However, if your vehicle has power steering, loss of engine power will cause loss of power assist, so you'll need to exert more force on the steering wheel to turn it.) You can also try applying your emergency or parking brake, but apply it gently so you won't lock the wheels and cause a skid.