What to Do (and Definitely Not to Do) If You Have a Tire Blowout
You’re cruising down the highway on your usual morning commute. It’s 8:30 AM, the radio is playing something halfway decent, and you’re set to make it to the office on time.
Then it happens!
You feel a strange vibration in the steering wheel. At first, it’s subtle — maybe you even ignore it. But seconds later, that vibration grows stronger. Your speed starts to drop. You feel your car dip slightly to the right. Uh-oh.
You’ve just had a tire blowout.
What Is a Tire Blowout, Anyway?
A blowout can happen for a few reasons:
The tire’s been punctured from road debris such as screws or a nail
It’s lost air rapidly, possible bald tires
It’s come off the “bead” — the part of the tire that seals against the rim
Whatever the cause, your tire is no longer doing its job. Now what?
🚫 What NOT to Do
During a Tire Blowout
Don’t keep driving as if nothing happened. You might think you can limp your way off the freeway, but continuing at speed can destroy the tire completely and even damage your rim or suspension.
Don’t slam on the brakes. Hard braking can cause you to lose control — especially if the blowout affects your steering.
Don’t swerve or overcorrect. This is a natural panic reaction, but it can make things worse.
✅ What You Should Do
Stay calm. Seriously — easier said than done, but keeping your cool helps you think clearly.
Put on your turn signal. Gradually steer toward the shoulder or take the next safe exit, wave your hand outside the window pointing in the direction of where you’re trying to head to indicate emergency.
Turn on your hazard lights. Let other drivers know something’s wrong. Visibility is your best friend.
Find a safe spot. Make sure your car is fully off the road. Ideally, you want half a car’s width or more between you and traffic. Enough to where if your door is wide open, a car won’t hit it.
Stay inside the vehicle if it’s dangerous to exit. If you’re on a narrow shoulder or near fast-moving traffic, remain buckled up inside and call for help.
If it’s safe, step out and assess the damage. Only if the area is clear of danger should you step outside to check the tire.
Know your options:
If you’re confident and know how to change a tire safely, go for it. Click Here to Learn how to change a spare tire.
If not, don’t risk it. Call a roadside assistance service like Roadside Rescue Heroes. We’ll get to you quickly and get you back on the road with peace of mind (and properly torqued lug nuts!).
Why It’s Important to Know This
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 738 people die each year in tire-related crashes. Many of these incidents occur because of improper responses to tire blowouts or breakdowns on the road.
Reading and understanding what to do during a blowout can save your life — and the lives of others.
If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading! I hope you never experience a tire blowout, but if you do, you’ll know what to do — and just as importantly, what not to do.
Stay safe out there, and be sure to check back for our next blog post.
And remember — if you need a hand, Roadside Rescue Heroes is just a call away.
