In the event of a power failure while driving, what is the first step you should take?

When experiencing a power failure while driving, the primary concern is to maintain safety on the roadway. Pulling off the roadway is the correct first step to take because it ensures that the vehicle is out of the way of traffic, reducing the risk of collision. This action allows the driver to assess the situation and handle it without further endangering themselves or other road users.

While other steps, such as using emergency flashers or turning off the engine, may be necessary later, they do not address the immediate need to move the vehicle to a safe location first. Shifting to a lower gear could be ineffective if the vehicle has lost power, and turning off the engine could lead to sudden loss of control if the vehicle is not already in a safe area. Therefore, the priority is to safely pull off to the side of the road before taking any additional actions.