What is an important action to take if you experience brake failure while driving?

If you experience brake failure while driving, shifting to a lower gear and pumping the brakes is an important action to take. This technique helps to reduce the speed of the vehicle gradually by utilizing engine braking, which can be more effective than relying solely on the brakes that are malfunctioning. By downshifting, you allow the engine to help decelerate the vehicle, thus providing additional control over your speed.

Pumping the brakes—if there is some residual braking power—can also help recover some brake pressure, potentially allowing the driver to slow down further. This combination of tactics is designed to help you maintain control of the vehicle and manage the emergency situation in a safer way.

The other choices do not effectively address the urgency of brake failure. Stopping immediately on the road may not be safe depending on traffic conditions, while turning off the engine could lead to a loss of steering control and braking effectiveness. Accelerating is not a wise choice as it could increase the risk of an accident by losing control entirely. Therefore, shifting to a lower gear and pumping the brakes is the recommended response in this scenario.