Illinois CDL Practice Exam 2025 - Free CDL Practice Questions and Study Guide

When experiencing brake failure, one of the most critical actions to take is to shift into a lower gear and steer to a safe location. This technique helps to reduce your speed gradually while maintaining control over the vehicle. Lowering the gear engages the engine's natural braking effect, which can decrease your vehicle's speed more effectively than relying solely on brakes that have failed.

Steering to a safe location is also important, as it allows you to navigate away from traffic and potential hazards. This action prioritizes safety for both the driver and others on the road, making it essential in such a dire situation.

Other actions, such as applying the emergency brakes gently, while helpful in certain contexts, might not provide enough stopping power and could lead to losing control. Accelerating to gain speed is counterproductive and dangerous, as it increases the risk of a collision. Continuously sounding the horn may alert others to your situation, but it does not effectively address the immediate need to control and stop the vehicle safely.