The summer is here, and since many teenagers and young drivers will be on the road, now is a good time to talk about car brakes and signs of brake defects. Your vehicle’s brakes are some of the most important parts of the car, so making sure that they are working perfectly is essential.
Brake defects could lead to unexpected crashes, like rear-end collisions, so it’s important to recognize when the brakes don’t sound right or are not working as well as they should.
Why are defective brakes so dangerous?
It’s impossible to steer out of every dangerous situation on the roads, so you have to use your brakes. During a single drive, you will press a brake pedal hundreds of times. If that brake doesn’t respond when you need it to, then a collision could happen, you could go off the road or another kind of accident may occur.
What are some common brake defects?
Some common brake defects include:
- Faulty designs that lead to premature brake pad or rotor damage
- Anti-lock brake failure, which can lead to a loss of control
- Unresponsive or “squishy” pedals, which make a vehicle harder to stop
Each of these three defects is extremely dangerous. While some older drivers may know techniques to avoid danger, such as being familiar with their emergency brakes or knowing how to steer out of a skid or spin, younger drivers may not yet have that experience and be at a higher risk of a crash.
What should you do if your brakes become defective while you’re driving?
If your brakes suddenly fail to work properly and you have time to move over onto the shoulder, you should steer onto the shoulder and allow the vehicle to slow down on its own over time. If you have an emergency brake, you can also use that brake to slow down your vehicle.
Warn others by turning on your hazard lights or honking. Continue to pump the brake, since this sometimes provides enough force to stop your vehicle. Then, once you’re safe, look into your legal options. If there is a manufacturer’s defect or defect caused by repairs made to your vehicle, you may have a claim.