Even if you are an experienced driver, a sudden tyre blowout can be a shocking and dangerous event. Blowouts occur when a tyre on your vehicle suddenly fails. This could be a result of hitting debris in the road, such as a piece of metal or a chunk of rock. Other causes include poor maintenance of the tyre, which has resulted in it being over or under inflated. However, if a tyre on your car suffers a blowout, you will have more pressing things on your mind than the possible causes. It is likely you will be completely focused on trying to maintain control of the vehicle. Below is a guide to how you should react to a sudden and complete failure of a tyre while you are driving on the highway.
Immediate Actions
The first warning you will have that a tyre has blown is a loud bang. The next warning sign will be when your car instantly begins to pull to one side as a result of the drag created by the damaged tyre. The first thing you need to do is to turn the steering wheel slightly to keep the car travelling in line with the road. Whatever you do, you should not stamp on the brakes. Doing so could result in you spinning out of control. You need to remove your foot from the accelerator and begin to gently touch the brakes. As the car loses speed, you should change down through the gears so you can use the engine as a brake. Once the car has slowed down, you should pull over to the side of the road.
Contacting Recovery Services
Following a blowout, even if you have a spare tyre with you in the trunk of your car, it is always best to contact a roadside tyre service. Following a blowout, it is possible that the road surface may have damaged the metal wheel rim. If you replace the tyre with a spare, you could start driving on a wheel which is dangerous due to damage. A professional from a tyre service will be able to inspect the wheel before installing a new tyre so you can continue your journey.
If you would like further information about looking after the tyres on your car or if you would like to find out more about how a tyre service can help you, you should contact your local auto repair shop.