Few things are more terrifying for a driver than a sudden tire blowout, especially when traveling at highway speeds. The loud bang followed by the violent shaking and pulling of the vehicle can easily cause panic. However, maintaining your composure and taking the proper steps immediately is crucial for keeping control and avoiding a serious accident.
While tire blowouts are relatively rare thanks to advances in tire technology and manufacturing, they can still occur due to underinflation, excessive wear, road hazards, or overloading the vehicle. When a tire fails catastrophically at high speeds, the forces involved are extreme. But by staying calm and following the right procedures, you can safely regain control of your vehicle.
Don’t Brake – Accelerate Slightly
This may seem counterintuitive, but slamming on the brakes after a blowout is one of the worst things you can do. Braking hard will likely cause the vehicle to spin out of control. Instead, take your foot off the accelerator and allow the engine to slow the vehicle. Then, accelerate very slightly.
The acceleration helps to put the vehicle’s weight on the rear tires, allowing the front tires to continue steering temporarily until you can safely decelerate. It also helps prevent the vehicle from fishtailing by keeping the rear tires firmly planted on the road.
Grip the Steering Wheel Firmly
With the vehicle destabilized by the failed tire, it’s critical to maintain control of the steering. Grip the steering wheel firmly with both hands at the 9 and 3 o’clock positions. Avoid making any sudden steering inputs that could cause the vehicle to spin or veer off the road.
Go Slow and Pull Over
Once you’ve regained some stability by accelerating slightly, gradually take your foot off the gas and allow the vehicle to coast and slow down. Signal your intention to pull over to the shoulder or nearest exit. When you’ve slowed to around 30 mph, you can gently apply the brakes to bring the vehicle to a stop on a level, straight area off the main road.
Get to a Safe Location
After pulling over, get the vehicle completely off the road and out of the way of traffic if possible. Turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers. If you have warning triangles or road flares, use them to increase visibility behind your vehicle.
Only attempt to change the tire if you are in a safe location away from traffic and on a level, stable surface. If you’re on the shoulder of a busy highway or in an area that feels unsafe, it’s better to stay in the vehicle with your seatbelt on and call for roadside assistance.
Changing the Tire
If conditions are safe to change the tire yourself, follow the instructions in your owner’s manual for operating the jack and removing the spare tire. Place wheel chocks on the opposite side tires to prevent rolling. Loosen the lug nuts on the flat tire before jacking up the vehicle.
Once the flat is removed and the spare is mounted, lower the vehicle until the tire touches the ground before fully tightening the lug nuts. This allows the tire to settle into position. Then fully tighten in a star or criss-cross pattern with the vehicle’s weight on the tire.
Driving on the Spare
Most spare tires are only meant for temporary, limited use to get you to a repair facility. Observe the speed restriction for the spare, which is typically 50 mph or less. Avoid aggressive acceleration, hard braking, or sharp turns that could cause the spare to fail as well. Have the damaged tire repaired or replaced as soon as possible.
By staying calm, following the right procedures, and getting to a safe location, you can make it through a tire blowout without losing control of your vehicle. Preventative tire maintenance is always advisable, but being prepared with the knowledge to handle a blowout can prevent it from becoming a disastrous situation.
The loud bang and shaking of a tire blowout at highway speeds is jarring, but keeping your wits and following these steps can get you safely off the road:
Don’t brake – accelerate slightly
Grip the steering wheel firmly
Gradually slow and signal to pull over
Get completely off the road to a safe location
Change the tire if safe, or call for assistance
Observe speed limits for the spare tire
With the right knowledge and procedures, you can get through this scary situation without losing control and putting yourself or others at risk.
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