If your vehicle's brakes fail suddenly, what should you do first?

Pumping the brake pedal rapidly is a critical initial response if your vehicle's brakes fail unexpectedly. This technique can sometimes build up enough hydraulic pressure to temporarily restore function to the brakes. It allows you to potentially gain some control over the stopping process. If the brakes are only partially failing, this action might enable you to slow down the vehicle or stop it altogether.

In the case of the other options, shifting to a higher gear may not effectively help in slowing the vehicle down; rather, it could further accelerate it if the brakes are not working. Steering into oncoming traffic would pose a severe risk to yourself and others on the road and should never be considered an option. Pulling the emergency brake immediately, while a reasonable thought in some instances, can lead to skidding or losing control of the vehicle if done abruptly without careful consideration. Therefore, the first action to take in the event of brake failure should be pumping the brake pedal to attempt to regain braking power.