What to Do If You Have a Tire Blowout
A tire blowout can be a sudden, scary experience, especially for new drivers. In Florida, they can happen quite often, even in the winter months. We’re going to cover what causes a blowout as well as what to do if your tire blows out on the highway, in the city or while parked.
What Causes a Tire Blowout
Many people want to avoid the extreme situation of being caught on the road with a popped tire, so why do tires blow out and how can drivers prevent it? Here are some possible tire blowout causes:
- Hot Weather: “Blowout season” runs during the summer, typically May through October. Hot temperatures expand the air inside of the tire, which builds pressure, leading to a higher percentage of cars on the side of the road.
- Heavy Loads: Most tires have a load index, which indicates how much weight a tire can handle under perfect inflation and normal conditions. Pushing your tires beyond those limits when they’re not properly inflated will lead to a blowout.
- Underinflation: Most modern cars feature a TPMS (or Tire Pressure Monitoring System) that will warn you when your tire is getting low air pressure. Ignoring the warnings or having a broken TPMS can lead to a blowout.
- Bad Road Conditions: Sinking into a pothole, bumping against a barrier or tapping a road hazard can lead to a popped tire.
- Defects: Occasionally, tires are created with defects in the design and production processes. In those cases, blowouts may happen at certain seams of the tire.
- Combination: Often a tire sidewall blowout may happen for multiple reasons, which all factor into the sudden failure. For example, yanking a trailer on a hot summer day creates a perfect storm, which is one reason we call the summer “blowout season.”
How to Know If a Tire Has Popped
If a tire blows out, you should usually hear or feel the following:
- You might hear a loud boom or whooshing noise.
- You might hear the hissing of air quickly escaping.
- You might hear and see your tire air pressure alarms going off.
- When a tire is deflated, you’ll hear flopping or flapping of the tire against the road.
- Often, your car may feel like it’s vibrating or shaking on one side.
- You may feel a sudden pulling sensation on one side of the vehicle.
If you’re not sure, take your foot off the gas to slow down and lower your music. You’ll usually notice these signs all at once or with a minute.
What Should You Do If You Have a Tire Blowout
If you have a tire blowout, you should pull over in the safest way possible for both you and the cars around you. Often, a tire blowout can lead to an accident, so use these tips to stay cool in a frantic situation.
If You Have a Tire Blowout While Driving on the Highway
- Do NOT suddenly slam on the brakes if your tire blows out while driving. Remove your foot from the gas and let your vehicle slow down.
- Grip your steering wheel tightly as you let your car slow down gradually. Your car may shake, veer to one side or jump as your tire deflates.
- Do NOT stop on the highway; find a safe shoulder or exit. It’s generally safer to pull over to the right, as in most states those are the slower lanes.
- Turn on your emergency flashers to warn nearby drivers.
- Brake lightly to come to a complete stop once you’re on the shoulder.
- If you’re in the dark, set up flares or reflective cones to warn passing drivers. This is especially important if you have a tire blowout on a highway.
- Call for roadside assistance or, if you can change the tire yourself, use extreme caution. Note that changing a tire on the driver’s side on the highway is quite dangerous due to speeding traffic – even in daylight.
If You Experience a Tire Blowout While Driving on City Streets
This process is much the same as with highway driving: Again, don’t slam on your brakes, but let the car gradually slow down by raising your foot off the gas. Grip your steering wheel tightly and find a safe place to stop, flashing your emergency lights. Once stopped, set up lights and call for roadside assistance. The main difference is that, in cities, you’ll often have the opportunity to find a safe place to stop. Keep in mind, however, that it can be several hours of being stuck in that spot, so avoid blocking driveways or roadways.
If Your Tire Pops While Parked
If your tire is popped while parked, it’s usually far more convenient and less dangerous than when you’re driving, but it can still be difficult if you’re parallel parked on a city street or next to other cars. In this case, safely replacing the tire is what to do if a tire blows out. However, if your blowout is on the same side as traffic, you may want to still get roadside assistance.
No matter what happens, remember that your spare is a temporary solution; you should not drive for miles on a spare. If you’re in Jacksonville or Northern Florida, call us to get a replacement tire as soon as possible.