It's one of the worst fears of every driver. We're driving along and we need to slow down or stop, we put our foot on the brake and nothing happens.

It's important to know what to do when our brakes fail. Here are some ways to stop our car without brakes.

1. Shift down gears. If you're in a high gear, shift down through your gears till you are in the lowest of gears. This will slow us down, but will not stop us completely.

2. Do not accelerate. This might seem obvious but needs to be mentioned!

3. Pump the brakes - they may just need some extra effort.

4. Immediately navigate the car to the side of the road or an emergency lane. Put on your hazard lights and honk your horn to advise other drivers you are having difficulties.

5. When you have stopped - Check to see if there is something caught under the brake pedal.

6. If you have to hit something to stop, aim for something soft such as a wooden fence or small trees.

Brakes are one of the most important safety features on any car. Whether it's our own car or a used car that we're considering buying, here are some signs that the brakes might be on their way out.

1. The anti-lock brake system light comes on.
2. We feel a lot of drag when accelerating.
3. The brake pedal pulses when we brake.
4. We hear a clicking or grinding sound when we break.

When purchasing a used car be sure to obtain a professional vehicle pre-purchase inspection. This kind of car service is cheap and could save your life - not just time and money.