'I've Run 2 Red Lights:' Man's Brakes Go Out. Then He Uploads a Video While Driving to Ask for Help

“My foot is completely on the brake.”

Man's brakes go out. Then he uploads a video while driving to ask for help

Photo by: christiantreygallimore & Rohleder

Madeleine Wagner

By: Madeleine Wagner

Nov 8, 2025 at 8:00am ET

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If you were a particularly nervous kid, it might’ve been one of those irrational fears that you spent an inordinate amount of time worrying about. Just above "the floor turns to lava," but not quite as crucial as "what if I get caught in quicksand," sat the ever-present "what if the brakes go out?"

Back then, it was probably just the brakes on a 10-speed bike. Not, as was recently the case for one Tennessee man, the brakes on an old Dodge Dakota.

Christian Trey Gallimore’s (@christiantreygallimore) recent TikTok is the stuff of nightmares. "Yo, I don’t know what to do," he says in the video, which has garnered more than 6.5 million views in a little over a week.

Desperate for help as he tried to pilot a slow-motion catastrophe to a stop, he turned to TikTok: "I’m going like 15 miles an hour right now, but I’ve ran two red lights, I’ve almost cut someone off [and] look," he says, "my foot is completely on the brake."

A quick glance through his rear windshield confirms he’s still moving.

Happily, Gallimore did manage to get the Dakota to stop without hurting himself or anyone else.

What Do You Do If Your Brakes Fail?

If properly maintained, your brakes should never fail. But it is possible, albeit highly unlikely, even with proper maintenance.

So what should you do if your brakes fail?

In a short instructional video, Allstate instructs drivers not to panic. Keeping your foot off the gas, try the brakes again—pump them up and down several times. If they still don’t work, downshift if possible. You’ll want to downshift gradually, as shifting from a high to a low gear too quickly can cause you to skid. It is also a good idea to put your hazard lights on to alert other vehicles that your car isn’t operating properly.

Then slowly engage the emergency brake.

In extreme cases, you may need to use friction to slow your vehicle. Midwest driving school Top Driver advises, "If your brakes fail while moving at highway speeds toward unavoidable obstacles, it may be necessary to use the divider or guard rail to scrape the side of your car in order to slow down. When it comes down to it, your life is more important than your car."

As your car (hopefully) drifts to a stop, get off the road as safely and as quickly as you can. Leaving it in the roadway should be a last resort, as this creates a hazard for other drivers.

Once you’re ideally off the road, don’t turn the vehicle off until you’ve fully stopped.

Only then should you exit the vehicle and summon help, such as a tow truck or emergency responders, if there was an accident.

Gallery: 1992 Dodge Dakota Serro Scotty Class-C Motorhome

1992 Dodge Dakota Serro Scotty Class-C Motorhome

How Did the Driver Stop the Dakota?

Fifteen miles an hour isn’t that fast. But Gallimore was at the wheel of a 3,000- to 4,000-pound vehicle. Even at a slow roll, it can still do some serious damage.

So how did he finally stop? According to an update he posted, Gallimore was finally able to halt his forward momentum after coasting down a hill, missing a parked car, almost hitting a tree, and finally getting stuck in mud.

What do you think?

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Now he’s working on getting the Dakota road safe. With a little help—and some new brakes.

Motor1 reached out to Gallimore via TikTok direct message. We’ll update this if he gets back to us.