I just had a tire blow out and I want to know what I should do right now so that I don’t cause any damage to my vehicle. Walk me through the first steps I should take–from carefully getting to safety to getting the tire repaired or replaced.
It’s a motorist’s worst nightmare. You’re cruising down the highway when suddenly you hear a loud bang! The next thing you know, there is a loud flapping coming from underneath your car. You have a blown out tire.
If you don’t know what to do in this situation, it could spell disaster for you, your passengers, and other drivers. A report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows there were 738 fatalities from tire-related crashes in 2017.
Do you know what to do if you get a blown out tire on the highway? It’s important for every driver to know how to respond to protect their safety and the safety of the other drivers. Here’s what you need to know
Don’t Panic!
Hearing your tire blow can be a shocking and frightening ordeal. The most important thing to remember is to stay calm and not to panic. Your car may jerk to one side or push you toward the side where your tire blew. Do not pull the wheel to one side or the other.
Attempting to overcorrect your steering can cause the car to lose control. Maintain your composure, keep both hands on the wheel, and keep your car moving straight.
Don’t Hit the Brakes!
Your first instinct when you experience a blown tire may be to slam on the brake pedal. This is exactly what you should NOT do. Trying to brake suddenly during a blowout can cause your wheels to lock up, resulting in loss of control of your vehicle. Your car could fishtail or spin out and hit other vehicles.
Instead of hitting the brakes, the best thing you can do is try your best to maintain your speed. Slowly take your foot off the gas and allow your car to decelerate naturally.
Keep both hands on the wheel at the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions and keep your vehicle straight as you slow down. After your speed drops to a safe level below 30 mph, you can start to apply the brakes slowly.
Pull Over as Safely as Possible
Once your vehicle has decelerated to a safe speed, you can slowly pull your vehicle over to the side of the road. Make sure you are far enough on the shoulder to provide ample space between you and oncoming traffic so that you and your passengers are safe.
When your car has safely stopped, and you’re out of harm’s way, you can finally take a deep breath. Now that you’re on the side of the road, you should turn on your vehicle’s hazard lights. This signals other drivers that something is wrong and that they should take caution around your car.
Before you open the door, look carefully for oncoming traffic. When the coast is clear, it’s time to step out and survey the damage.
Turn on Your Hazard Lights and Survey the Damage
The next thing you need to do is see how bad the damage is to your tire. If it turns out your tire has low pressure, then you may be able to repair your flat tire. However, if you’ve suffered a blowout, then the damage will be obvious.
A blowout is much more severe than accidentally driving on a flat tire. If your tire has blown, then you may run the risk of having damaged your wheel also. Do not try to drive your vehicle once your tire has blown. Your best option is always to install your spare or wait for help to arrive.
Install Your Spare
When you remove your blown out tire, it’s going to look like a mess. Rubber will be ripped and torn, and there may be cables or wire sticking out from where the tire failed. Your tire is still attached to your wheel, which you’re going to need when you replace the blown tire.
Remove your spare tire from your vehicle. It’s often located in a compartment on the bottom of your trunk or affixed to the back or underside of your car. Then carefully remove the blown tire and store it in the trunk of your vehicle. The next step is installing your spare tire and getting your care to a safer location where you can get a more permanent fix.
Get Your Car to a Safe Space
If you have a blown out tire on the road, then getting your car to a safe location should be your top priority. Look for a place like a nearby business or parking lot. This will help to get you and your vehicle away from dangerous traffic and give you the opportunity to make repairs.
Contact Tread Connection
Don’t panic if you’ve become the victim of a blown out tire. Contact the certified tire experts at Tread Connection for flat tire repair and buy new tires on a schedule that works for you.
Just make sure your vehicle is in a safe and secure location where our van has plenty of room to work. Our certified tire experts will take care of the rest.
You can always trust Tread Connection to get you back on the road, on your schedule. Find a Tread Connection van in your area and learn how we can take care of your blown tire today!
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