If you’ve ever experienced a tire blowout you might know that it’s one of the scariest things that can happen on the road. A tire blowout can happen at any time and can lead to a sudden loss of control of your vehicle. If you’re ever experiencing one, it’s important to know how to stay as safe as possible to avoid a collision. Try to remain calm and slow your car down safely. It’s also important to maintain your tires and overall vehicle to prevent these situations from occurring at all. By checking your tires frequently you can keep yourself and other drivers safer on the road.

How to Handle a Tire Blowout: Staying Safe

Stay Calm

The first thing to remember if you have a tire blowout is to stay calm. Panicking and stomping on the brakes is probably going to cause your wheels to lock up and make you lose control entirely. In addition, try not to steer erratically. This can also make you lose control of the car, or even cause your car to flip.

Slow Down

Try to slow down naturally if you’re experiencing a tire blowout. Rather than stomping on the brakes, slowly lift your foot off of the accelerator. Try to keep your steering wheel straight as you do this so that you safely coast to a stop. Turn on your emergency lights and pull your car off the road to safety. Either put on your spare and drive to a repair shop or call roadside assistance to give you a hand.

What Causes Blowouts?

The most common cause of tire blowouts is underinflated tires. This might be because there is a hole in the tire, or could just be from the air slowly leaking out. Failing to rotate your tires or purchasing poor-quality tires can increase your chances of a blowout. Most blowouts occur at high speeds on the interstate, but they can happen at lower speeds as well.

Preventing Blowouts

The best way to prevent a tire blowout is to purchase high-quality tires and maintain them frequently. Most cars have automatic tire pressure sensors these days. However, if yours does not, you’ll need to manually check your tires. A glance can usually tell you if your pressure is very low. Rotate your tires frequently and perform routine maintenance as well.

A tire blowout can be incredibly scary because it often happens at high speeds. While it can feel like you’re losing control of your car, try to remain as calm as possible. Do not slam on the brakes or jerk the steering wheel. Instead, take your foot off the accelerator and steer straight until you slow down naturally. While it’s not possible to entirely prevent tire blowouts, you can lessen your chances of experiencing them by checking your tire pressure frequently. Purchase high-quality tires and take your vehicle in for regular maintenance. Hopefully, by following these tips you’ll be able to prevent yourself from ever experiencing a blowout on the road.