First Steps to Safe Driving

If you are reading this, you may have already experienced a tire blowout and are now safely on the side of the road. In case you haven’t already experienced it, this guide should help you to handle a tire blowout, how to prevent a tire blowout, and what to do to get tire repairs once you have gotten to safety.

Avoiding a Tire Blowout

The best defense is preventive maintenance, so handling a blowout is preventing them from happening. Checking your tire pressure when seasons change can help to avoid a blowout. Because pressure is very reliant on temperature, your tires may perform better with different air pressure amounts if your climate has very dynamic seasons. Also, old tires with worn treads are going to burst more easily under pressure because they have a thinner exterior. Buying good quality tires means you won’t need to worry too much about this.

How Do You Know Your Tire Is Blown

A tire blowout will sound like an explosion. It isn’t a combustive explosion that will deal damage to your car, but the result of having a blown tire definitely can. However, your safety should be the priority during a blowout. The worst thing you can do after a tire blowout is not to make sudden changes. Your car will lose control, so you need to let it slow down gradually. Put in as little input as you can. Don’t step on the brakes, don’t leave off the gas too much unless you need to stop soon, depending on the traffic. Let the gas come down slowly and keep your steering wheel steady and straight. Once you are down to moving 20 mph, you have much more control over your vehicle, you can start using your brakes, and you can steer your vehicle off to the side of the road.

How to Repair a Blown Tire

You do not want to drive on a blown or flat tire because you will grind the rotors, and that can damage them permanently, so taking a little time to patch and refill your tire with an air compressor may be good enough to help you drive to a repair shop where they can truly fix it. If you can’t patch it, put on your spare tire for the time being. And if you have neither of those options, you will want to call for help and get a tow.

You can always come to Big Apple Automotive in Victorville, CA, for any tire repairs. Take your car to our shop once you have gotten to safety, and we’ll help you fix it. Call us for any vehicle repair services at 760-245-7255

Contact Us online today at any of our 3 convenient Victor Valley locations!