Tire blowouts can be scary and disastrous if they aren’t dealt with the right way. You’ll be driving along when you hear a loud BOOM, then there will a sudden jerk and your vehicle will pull to one side. When it happens at highway speeds a tire blowout can cause panic in an inexperienced driver and cause them to lose control. The National Safety Administration states that tire blowouts cause over 75,000 accidents and kill over 400 drivers each year. Those are some scary numbers! The good news is that a tire blowout doesn’t have to spell disaster and you don’t even need to be a professional driver. Anyone can deal with a tire blowout in a safe manner to regain control of their vehicle.
 

What to Do if You Have a Tire Blowout While Driving on the Road or Highway

1. Remain calm. The most important thing you can do is to remain calm. Do not turn the steering wheel. Do not slam on the brakes. Do not take your foot off the gas pedal. These actions can cause you to lose control of your vehicle and spin out. Try and take a deep breath and don’t panic. Easier said than done but try!
2. Steer straight. Your vehicle will pull to one side when a tire blows out. Use both hands and grip the steering wheel at 10 and 2. The car might fishtail or wobble, but it’s very important to resist the urge to steer the wheel sharply and overcorrect. Try to keep the vehicle on a straight path.
3. Gentle apply the gas pedal. This seems like the wrong advice, but a gentle acceleration after a tire blowout can help you get control over the vehicle by continuing your straight forward momentum. The absolute worst thing you can do when a tire blows is to slam on the brakes.
4. Let the car slow down itself. When a tire blows it will act like a parachute and slow your speed naturally. This is the time to turn the hazard lights on, because your vehicle will quickly slow to below cruising speeds. Try and continue straight and avoid truing the steering wheel.
5. When your speed drops to 30 mph, gently step on the brakes. When the vehicle has slowed to 20 mph or so, you can then slowly turn the steering wheel and guide your vehicle off the road. Once you have safely moved away from traffic, call for help.
 

How to Avoid a Tire Blowout

Avoiding a tire blowout comes down to prevention. Most tire blowouts happen because of improper tire pressure. Cars sold in the United States after 2007 are required to have an electronic tire pressure monitoring system. This system will let you know when the tire pressure fluctuates above or below levels that are safe. Check your tire pressure before a long road trip and have your tires looked at as soon as the tire pressure monitoring system alerts you. It’s also a bad idea to drive on old, worn tires. When the tread gets worn down or there are cracks in the rubber, it can lead to a blowout.
 

Towing, Roadside Assistance & Cash for Cars in Cassia, Gooding, Jerome & Twin Falls Counties in Magic Valley, Idaho & Jackpot, Northern Nevada

Sometimes a tire blowout will happen no matter how well you maintain your tires. Try your best to stay calm and contact Highway 30 Towing to drive out to wherever you are stranded to change your tire and get you back on the road again. Call us for towing or roadside assistance.