UK Driving Theory Practice Exam 2025 - Free Driving Theory Practice Questions and Study Guide

If your brake lights fail while driving, using hand signals to indicate stopping is crucial for ensuring safety on the road. Brake lights serve as an essential warning to the drivers behind you that you are slowing down or coming to a stop. Without functioning brake lights, other drivers may not be aware of your intentions, increasing the risk of a collision.

By using hand signals, you provide a clear indication of your actions to other road users. This can significantly reduce confusion and helps maintain safety, allowing following vehicles to react appropriately to your changes in speed. For example, extending your left arm downward indicates that you are slowing down or stopping, effectively compensating for the absence of brake lights.

While other actions, such as flashing high beams or pulling over, may seem logical, they do not specifically convey the need for stopping to those behind you as effectively as hand signals do. Continuing to drive normally would not address the critical safety concern posed by malfunctioning brake lights either.