A tire blowout can be incredibly scary and stressful, especially if it happens in the middle of congested traffic. A blowout can be triggered by something as minor as a small nail in the road or low tire pressure. However, the five most prominent causes of tire blowouts are under-inflation, overload, uneven tread wear, damage, and defects.
You'll be able to tell when you have a tire blowout if you hear a loud popping sound or sudden instability with your car. You may also smell burning rubber. If any of these things happen to you, please do NOT panic. Proceed to do the following steps:
- Do NOT slam on your brakes. Alternatively, keep the handling of your vehicle and pull over to the road shoulder if possible.
- Do your best to get out of traffic. The last thing you want to deal with is an accident on top of your tire blowout.
- Turn on your hazard lights.
- Please remain in your car unless it is entirely safe to do so.
- Call for roadside assistance.
You should know that tire blowouts are avoidable. Here's what you can do to prevent this from happening to you:
- Regularly check your tire pressure and ensure that your tires are up to driving standards. Low tire pressure is a common cause of tire blowouts and can be avoided with proper maintenance.
- Examine your tread wear often using the simplest and quickest trick ever: the penny test. To do this, place the penny into the ridges of your tire; if you can still see the top of Lincoln's head, it's time to exchange your tire.
- Try to keep the load of your vehicle light. We suggest you remove junk from your car that you don't need. It would help if you were not lugging around heavy items on an everyday basis.
If you ever experience a tire blowout, please handle your vehicle with safety in mind. At European Auto Motors, we have skilled technicians that can repair and maintain your tires. Give us a call or visit today!