What is the first action to take if your brakes fail?

When experiencing brake failure, the first action to take is to pump the brake pedal. This technique can help build up brake pressure in the system, which might allow for at least some braking action to be restored. In many cases, modern braking systems have power assistance, and if there's a minor failure, pumping the brakes might help to re-establish some functionality, especially if the problem is not total brake loss but rather a temporary loss of pressure.

Turning off the engine immediately, while it may seem like a logical response, can be dangerous as it disables power steering and power brakes, making the vehicle harder to control. Steering into a ditch is not a guaranteed safe option and may lead to further hazards or injury. Similarly, crashing into an object should always be a last resort, as this can cause significant injury or damage and may not effectively stop the vehicle.

Thus, pumping the brake pedal is the safest and most immediate response to attempt to regain control and stop the vehicle.