If you’ve never experienced a brake failure, the thought of one happening likely doesn’t cross your mind too often. But if you have experienced a brake failure on the road, you know how important it is to be ready to react in a split-second. We can help make sure you’re prepared.
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what you’ll need to do to stop your vehicle if your regular brakes aren’t doing the trick:
Now let’s break it down in a little more detail. If you try to brake but your car shows no signs of slowing down, keep calm and…
So, now that you know what to do in the event of a brake failure, you may be wondering how you can prevent one from happening in the first place. The simple answer is to keep up regular brake maintenance and pay attention to how your vehicle feels and sounds while you’re driving. Stick to the service plan recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer; most will recommend having your brakes serviced after you’ve travelled a certain number of kilometers. You should also call your mechanic if your vehicle starts taking longer to stop than it should or if you feel or hear anything strange when you hit the brakes. Keep an eye out for the brake warning light on your dashboard, too, as it’s a pretty good indicator that something is wrong with your brakes.
Yes, your car insurance policy would likely protect you if you had a collision caused by a brake failure — but insurance doesn’t cover wear and tear, so repairs to your brakes themselves wouldn’t be covered. If you make an insurance claim, damage to your vehicle would fall under your collision or all perils coverage, and damage you cause to other people’s property would fall under your third-party liability coverage. If you don’t have collision or all perils coverage, you’d be on your own for repairs to your vehicle. Eligibility for coverage and claim payouts depend on a number of factors, so you’ll have to talk to us to find out how your own coverage would apply.
While we hope you never experience a brake failure, hopefully you’ll feel a little more prepared if it ever does happen to you. Share these tips on Facebook or Twitter to help your friends get prepared, too.
This article was originally published on economical.com.