How can you stop a car if someone cuts the brakes?

 In such a situation you have to use what is known as Engine Braking Technique. Here are simple steps to slow down and stop your car in case of brake failure.

For cars with manual transmission:

Progressively downshift the car into lower gears while keeping your foot off the gas pedal until it slows down to a stop. For example if you are going in 5th gear and you need to slow down the car, then put it in 4th gear, the engine will rev up but it will slow down the car, then put it in 3rd, 2nd and 1st gear.

Once in the first gear, you can pull the hand brake while not pressing the clutch, it will immediately stop the car.

For cars with automatic transmission:

This is a bit tricky based on the type of transmission. So let us start with the following type of gear:

In normal conditions you will be driving in “D”. To get your car into lower gear, lift the foot off the gas pedal and select the “2” position, when the car slows down, select the “L” position until it further slows down, then put it in “N” and pull the hand brake. When the car stops put it in “P”.

If you have following type of transmission:

In this type of transmission you have more control as you can progressively down shift the gears by selecting “-”. It is similar to manually downshifting the gears. Once you have reached the first gear and sufficiently slowed down, put it in “N” and pull the hand brake. When the car stops put it in “P”.

For Electric Cars:

Electric cars have regenerative braking. When foot is lifted from the accelerator, regen braking kicks in which uses the engine braking energy to recharge the batteries. If accelerator is not pressed, the car will eventually come to a stop by itself. In some cars the amount of regen braking force can be adjusted through interactive panel and thus can be used to bring the car to a quick stop.

General Advice:

1. Always get yourself fully acquainted with the specific features of the car you are driving. This can have a huge impact on how to respond during an emergency.
2. NEVER EVER turn off your engine when your car is moving. You will loose all control of your car, your steering may lock up and your automatic transmission will be destroyed. This is the stupidest thing you can do to try to stop a car. Although for some old cars, this may actually work, hence the importance of point 1.
3. Always keep applying the brakes. Even if you feel that brakes have completely failed, usually they have some residual effectiveness. Even small amount of braking capacity means a lot in emergency situation.
4. Try to drive the car on rough surface e.g. road shoulders or gravel / sand. This will cause the car to slow down very quickly due to high friction.
5. At speeds less than 40 kph, turn off ABS or skid control if you have the option.
6. Turn on the hazard lights to warn other drivers of your emergency.
7. Do not use handbrake when going too fast. You will loose control of your vehicle.
8. Try to find some open area where you can drive the car around in circles, until it comes to a stop.
9. On highways look out for “Runaway Truck Ramps”. Climb these to slow down and stop the vehicle.