If you experience a tire blowout while driving on a straight, level highway at 50 mph with no traffic in front, what should you do first?

If you experience a tire blowout while driving on a straight, level highway at 50 mph with no traffic in front, what should you do first?

• A. Stay off the brake until the vehicle has slowed down
• B. Slam on the brakes
• C. Steer to the left shoulder immediately
• D. Downshift to a lower gear quickly

Answer: (A)

When a tire blows out, your top priority is to keep the vehicle under control by avoiding abrupt braking or jerky steering. A sudden loss of tire pressure on one corner causes the car to pull toward that side and can lead to a loss of stability; braking hard or downshifting quickly can worsen the instability, and steering sharply toward the shoulder can make control even harder. The best first move is to stay off the brakes and let the car slow gradually by easing off the accelerator, keeping a firm, steady grip on the wheel and the vehicle traveling straight. Once you’ve slowed enough to feel in control, steer smoothly to a safe shoulder and brake gently to stop.

When a tire blows out, your top priority is to keep the vehicle under control by avoiding abrupt braking or jerky steering. A sudden loss of tire pressure on one corner causes the car to pull toward that side and can lead to a loss of stability; braking hard or downshifting quickly can worsen the instability, and steering sharply toward the shoulder can make control even harder. The best first move is to stay off the brakes and let the car slow gradually by easing off the accelerator, keeping a firm, steady grip on the wheel and the vehicle traveling straight. Once you’ve slowed enough to feel in control, steer smoothly to a safe shoulder and brake gently to stop.