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Why Tire Blowouts Happen-What To Do When They Happen-How To Avoid Them

Tire blowouts can be nerve-racking and dangerous experience. Here are a few tips on what you should do if you get a tire blowout, how to avoid a tire blowout and what causes tire blowouts.

Surviving A Tire Blowout

After you’ve heard the loud pop and begin to feel the vehicle pulling do the following:

• 1. Avoid hitting the brakes
• 2. Both hands on the steering wheel keeping the vehicle driving straight. Resist the vehicles tendency to pull.
• 3. Gently press the gas pedal. Maintain control of the vehicle with forward momentum.
• 4. Allow vehicle to slow down naturally and steer off to the side of the road.

Avoiding Tire Blowouts

Some tips to avoid tire blowouts are:

• 1. Regularly check tire inflation. Check recommended tire pressure(s) on sticker on frame of driver door. Many modern vehicles come equipped with tire pressure monitor sensors that live display tire pressures. If you have been driving your vehicle with a severely underinflated tire it would be a good idea to have the tire removed and inspected by a technician.
• 2. Ensure vehicle has tires with proper load index and speed rating. Most vehicles publish manufacturer’s recommended load index and speed rating in vehicle’s manual.
• 3. Try to avoid potholes and other road hazards.
• 4. Have tires inspected for bulges, cracks, punctures, low tread and shifted belts.
• 5. Don’t drive on old, worn tires.

Why Tire Blowouts Happen

Under-inflation

Underinflated tires can heat up rapidly as internal components such as tire belts and wires flex beyond their designed limits and fail.

Over-inflation

Tires that are inflated to maximum capacity become stiff and lose their flexibility making them more vulnerable to pothole damage or curb strikes.

Over-Loading

Exceeding a tire’s maximum load limit can also cause a tire to burst. This can easily happen if a driver has loaded a truck up with a heavy load like supplies in the back of a pick up truck or a vehicle towing a heavy trailer. Tires manufactured with a lower load index than what the vehicle was designed for can also burst.

Road Hazards

Impacts with potholes, curbs and debris (especially sharp objects) can cause a tire to become deformed, bulged or punctured resulting in blowout.

Driving On Old Worn Tires

Dry rot, cracks, degraded rubber, broken/shifted belts and very low tread/bald tires can make a tire highly susceptible to blowouts.

Driver Factor

Aggressive driving, speeding and rapid stopping can impose heavy loads on tires contributing to failure.