What To Do During A Tire Blowout

The goal in any rapid loss of tire pressure or "blowout" is to keep the vehicle balanced and controllable. Do not panic. Any over-reaction by the driver - including slamming on the brakes or abruptly removing your foot from the accelerator - can result in a loss of vehicle control.

In any blowout situation, it's important to remember the 2 things you should NOT do:

• Do not step on the brake. As instinctive as it may be, it's the worst mistake you can make in any tire blow out situation. Applying the brakes will cause an even greater imbalance on the vehicle's stability.
• Do not abruptly release your foot from the accelerator. This is the second worst mistake you can make. Rapidly releasing the accelerator causes the vehicle to transfer more of its weight from the rear tires to the front tires. With a flat tire, this can lead to loss of control of the vehicle.

Instead, in any blow out situation,you should follow these 3 steps:

• Gradually release the accelerator .
• Correct the steering as necessary to stabilize your vehicle and regain control. Look where you want the vehicle to go and steer in that direction.
• Once your vehicle has stabilized, continue to slow down and pull off the road where and when you judge it's safe to do so.

Remember, no matter which tire blows out - front or back - the do's and dont’s for safely maintaining control of your vehicle are exactly the same. The only difference between a front and rear tire blow out is that you will feel the force of a front blow out more in the vehicle's steering, while you’ll feel a rear blowout more in the seat or body of the vehicle.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Contact MyGuy to find a great local company that can provide great tire service.