What should you do if you experience a tire blowout while driving?

When you experience a tire blowout, the most critical action is to steer calmly and maintain control of the vehicle. This response is essential because a blowout can create an immediate sense of instability and panic. If you brake immediately, it can further destabilize the vehicle, potentially leading to a loss of control. Instead, it is important to grip the steering wheel firmly and keep the vehicle going straight.

Maintaining control allows for a better response to the situation, as you can gradually slow down without swerving or making sudden movements that could lead to an accident. After establishing control, you would then ideally look for a safe area to pull over only after you have stabilized the vehicle and reduced your speed.

Options like pulling over as quickly as possible or speeding up can lead to dangerous situations. Hastily pulling over without control can result in skidding or flipping, while speeding up only exacerbates risk by increasing tire stress and vehicle instability. Understanding the correct response helps ensure safety during such emergencies.