How to safely stop a car after a tyre blowout

A BURST tyre when driving on the freeway at speeds in excess of 100km/hr is the stuff of nightmares for most motorists.

How do I keep control of the vehicle and not have a major accident?

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How do I keep the car on the road?

Here are some tips to safely bring your car to a halt after a tyre blowout.

Hold the steering wheel firmly with both hands
Remain as calm as possible, hold the wheel firmly with both hands as this will help keep the car in a straight line and will help you to keep the vehicle under control.

Do not apply the brakes
Keep your foot off the brake pedal – do not even think about hitting it.
Sudden braking could be disastrous and damage the vehicle completely.
This is because the burst tyre is no longer part of the braking process.
Instead, allow the vehicle to slow down gradually.
Even when the vehicle is under control, do not use the brakes as the drag from the burst tyre will slow you down too much.
Only once your speed has reduced to under 50km/hr is it safe to press the brake pedal until the car stops.

Stay on your path
Keep in your lane, and avoid trying to get out of the way of other motorists as you need to keep the vehicle in as straight a line as possible.

Manual transmission – change to a lower gear
Gradually change to a lower gear, but only once you feel the vehicle is under control.
If your car has an automatic transmission, stay in the drive (D) gear.

A blowout is when a tyre suddenly loses pressure, resulting in a loud bang.
A number of things can cause a tyre to blow out, including:
* Improper inflation
* Overloading
* Improper damage repairs
* Missing signs of irregular wear
* Ignoring early warning signs
* Exceeding the safe life of a tyre on older vehicles

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