> **Quick Answer:** Pump the brake pedal rapidly to rebuild hydraulic pressure. If that fails, downshift through the gears to scrub speed, apply the parking brake slowly and steadily, and steer toward an escape route like a shoulder, uphill grade, or grass median. Do not turn off the engine until you are stopped. Get the car towed. Do not drive it again until a mechanic confirms the cause.
## What To Do
1. **Stay calm and keep both hands on the wheel.** Panic makes steering erratic. You still have full steering control. Use it.
2. **Pump the brake pedal hard and fast.** If you have a hydraulic leak or a partially failed master cylinder, rapid pumping can rebuild enough pressure to slow the car. Do this immediately, not as a last resort.
3. **Downshift.** If you drive a manual, drop gears one at a time: fourth to third, third to second. Do not skip straight to first at speed or you will spin out. Automatics: use the manual mode, paddle shifters, or move the selector through the lower gear ranges (3, 2, L). Engine braking is real and it works.
4. **Apply the parking brake gradually.** This is a mechanical brake on the rear wheels. Yank it hard and you lock the rears and spin. Apply it with steady, increasing pressure. Keep your thumb on the release button so you can ease off if the rear steps out.
5. **Use your surroundings.** Look ahead for: a long uphill grade, a gravel shoulder, a runaway truck ramp, a grass median, or an open parking lot. Any of these can absorb your speed without a collision. A curb can help as a last resort but it will damage the tires and suspension. That is a fine trade.
6. **Signal and warn other drivers.** Turn on your hazard lights immediately. Honk continuously if traffic is close. Other drivers need time to react.
7. **Do not turn the engine off while moving.** Shutting the engine kills power steering on most vehicles and locks the steering column on some. You lose control. Wait until you are stopped or nearly stopped.
8. **Once stopped, stay out of traffic.** Turn the engine off, set the parking brake, turn hazards on, and get everyone out of the car and away from the road. [If you are stopped on a freeway shoulder, follow the same protocol as any highway breakdown](/car-died-on-highway-shoulder-safe-to-wait-for-tow/) to avoid being struck by passing traffic.
9. **Call for a tow.** The car cannot be driven. Any brake system failure, whether a blown line, a failed master cylinder, or a stuck caliper, needs a shop diagnosis before the vehicle moves under its own power again. See [brake failure emergency towing](/brake-failure-while-driving-emergency-towing/) for what to expect when you call.
*Photo: Pexels*
## What It Might Cost
Towing runs $75 to $175 for a local haul in most U.S. markets, more in dense urban areas or after hours. The repair cost depends entirely on the cause: a brake line replacement runs $150 to $500, a master cylinder $200 to $600, a caliper $150 to $400 per corner. Get the diagnosis before approving any work.
If you have roadside assistance through your insurance, most policies cover the tow. [Check what your policy actually reimburses](/roadside-assistance-without-insurance-membership-cost/) before you pay out of pocket.
*Photo: Pexels*
## Stay Safe
- Get everyone out of the vehicle and behind a guardrail or well off the shoulder. Being inside a stopped car on a highway is a serious hazard.
- Do not try to crawl under the car to inspect brake lines on a roadway. Wait for a mechanic.
- If smoke is coming from a wheel after a brake event, that caliper may be seized and overheated. Keep your distance. It is a fire risk. Check [smoke coming from under your car](/smoke-coming-from-under-car-not-hood-what-does-it-mean/) for more on that scenario.
- Never let anyone drive the car to the shop. Flatbed tow only.
- At night or in bad weather, move as far from the travel lane as physically possible. Stay visible with hazards on and a flashlight if you have one.
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*Need roadside help? Visit [Tow With The Flow](https://towwiththeflow.com/brake-failure-while-driving-emergency-steps/) for real answers when your car breaks down.*
Brake Failure While Driving: Emergency Steps to Take Right Now
Photo: Pexels