What should you do if you experience a tire blowout while driving?

Experiencing a tire blowout can be a frightening situation, but knowing how to respond can help maintain control of your vehicle. The correct action is to steer straight and gradually slow down. This is important because a sudden reaction, such as applying the brakes right away or turning sharply, can lead to loss of control of the vehicle.

When a tire blows out, the vehicle may pull towards the side of the blowout, so gently steering straight helps to stabilize the vehicle. Gradually easing off the accelerator allows you to slow down without an abrupt decrease in speed that could cause further instability. The goal during a blowout is to regain control and come to a stop safely, ideally off the road or in a safe area.

While accelerating to maintain control might seem intuitively safer, it can actually exacerbate the situation by making it harder to manage the vehicle’s increased speed and potential drift. Similarly, turning sharply could lead to skidding or rolling the vehicle, which poses significant risks. Thus, staying calm and following the recommended procedure significantly increases safety during a tire blowout.