For most drivers, blowing a tire on the road is a frightening experience. While blowouts are rarer today than in past decades due to improved tire technology, they still account for over 600 traffic fatalities yearly. This means fewer drivers know how to maintain control of their vehicles safely during a blowout and what actions to take afterward.
Learn the proper procedures to drive through a popped tire and when to schedule a service to keep yourself and others safe on the road.
How to Tell if a Tire is About to Blow
Although proper tire maintenance may not prevent all possible blowouts, it can reduce the chances of a popped tire while driving to your next destination. Worn tires are more likely to pop because they are less able to handle debris, sharp objects, or damaged roads.
Common signs of tire wear include excessive or uneven tread wear, cracks on the tire’s sidewalls, or bubbles, blisters, and bulges under the rubber surface. If you see any of these signs on your tires, schedule a tire replacement service with a professional mechanic as soon as possible.
What Happens When a Tire Pops While Driving
If you experience a blowout on the road, you can recognize specific telltale sounds:
- Upon popping, the tire will emit a loud sound resembling a boom or a bang.
- Immediately after the tire pops, you may hear the hissing sound of rapidly escaping air.
- Once most of the air has left your popped tire, you will feel one side of the car drop lower than the other. You may also hear repeated rubbery flapping sounds indicating the deflated, damaged tire repeatedly hits the asphalt.
The way your car behaves after a tire pops depends on which tire has burst.
- Your car may begin pulling to the left or the right, depending on which side the popped tire is on.
- If one of your front tires has popped, you may have difficulty steering or adjusting the direction of your vehicle.
- If one of the rear tires blows, your car will become less stable. While adjusting direction will be easier than with a blown front tire, avoid steering too quickly. Forceful steering with a blown rear tire means you risk losing control of your car.
How to Safely Drive Through a Popped Tire
Keeping control of your car after a tire pops can be challenging. Knowing what to do if you pop a tire on the road can help you avoid further damage and keep yourself, your passengers, and other road users safe.
Avoid Hard Braking
The most critical step is not slamming on the brakes after a blowout. The sudden loss of speed and weight transfer caused by sudden braking can cause your car to spin out with a popped tire, potentially crashing or hitting another object.
Instead, let go of the gas gradually and let the car decelerate naturally. The increased resistance caused by the blown tire will allow your vehicle to lose speed relatively quickly. While decelerating, turn on your emergency lights and, if you can safely do so, pull over to the side of the road and wait until your vehicle comes to a complete stop.
Do Not Continue to Drive on the Damaged Tire
Avoid driving on a popped tire for extended distances. You risk causing more damage to other elements of your car, such as the rims, suspensions, brakes, or other tires.
You should only consider continuing if stopping where you are is unsafe, such as on a busy highway with no side shoulder.
What to Do After Stopping
Once you have stopped your vehicle safely on the side of the road or any other safe location, what you should do next depends on whether your car has a spare tire and the right tools.
Installing a Spare Tire
If your vehicle has a spare tire, ensure you have access to an emergency toolkit with all the essential equipment needed to change a tire.
You will need the following:
- Spare tire
- Vehicle jack
- Lug wrench
- Wheel wedges
- Protective gloves
- A flashlight or another source of light
Put on the protective gloves and locate the spare tire in your vehicle. Common storage locations include inside the trunk, under the hood, or mounted on the outside, on the rear trunk door.
Remove the spare tire’s cover, then use the lug wrench to loosen its lug nuts. Don’t take them off completely. Use the vehicle jack and install it in the correct position for the tire you need to change. Follow the instructions in your owner’s manual to find the correct place to install the jack. Once the jack is in place, lift your car until the flat tire is about 6” off the ground.
After raising your flat tire, use the lug wrench to completely remove its lug nuts, then pull the tire toward you to remove it. Slide the flat tire under your vehicle; if your jack gives out, it will cushion the car’s fall. Replace the flat tire with your spare, then tighten the lug nuts by hand until you can’t anymore.
Once your spare is in place, lower the jack, bring the car back to the ground, and use the lug wrench to tighten the spare’s lug nuts. You can now get back on the road. Ensure you do not drive beyond the maximum speed and distance recommended for your spare tire.
Alternatives to Spare Tires
Depending on your make, model, and year, your vehicle may not come equipped with spare tires. If this is the case, try these solutions:
- Run-flat tires: Your car may be equipped with run-flat tires, which allow you to drive on a popped tire safely at street speeds for short distances. On average, a run-flat tire is safe at up to 50 mph for approximately 50 miles. Check your tire manufacturer’s specifications to find your tires’ maximum safe speed and distance.
- Tire sealant: If your tire has a small puncture, an emergency puncture sealant kit can help you plug the hole and refill your tire with enough air to resume driving. Refer to the sealant kit’s manual for more information on how to use it and how far you can drive on a sealed tire.
- Calling roadside assistance: Don’t have access to spare tires, run-flats, or a sealant kit or cannot safely use any of these tools? The best solution is to call roadside assistance. The most popular service is the American Automobile Association (AAA). Call your insurance provider or auto manufacturer’s dedicated assistance services if your vehicle is covered.
Schedule a Tire Service with Hometown Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
After calling roadside assistance and getting your car to safety, schedule an emergency tire service to replace the popped tire and get back on the road. The mechanics at Hometown Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram can repair or replace your damaged tire. Contact us today to arrange an appointment.
