Tyre blowouts are very common highways, and they are mostly caused due to underinflation which leads to tyres overheating. Additionally, concrete patches in the middle of the highway increase the heating and expansion and accelerate the blowout process. The occasional overloading and bad driving habits are also responsible for the increased blowout risk. You can never be too secure against flat tyres, but you can always switch to run-flat tyres to add an extra layer of security. Also, ensure regular tyre assessment and maintenance to reduce the risk of flat tyres.
Even after taking all the precautionary measures, the risk of blowout remains, and if you experience one, do not panic and follow all the safety protocols. Blowouts are extremely dangerous because the vehicle loses control and form and starts tipping over, which is a huge safety hazard. Panic will let you take hurried decisions, which will only worsen the situation, and the vehicle won’t regain its form.
Therefore, calm the passengers down and don’t let go of the steering. Also, as a precautionary measure, always ensure the proper functioning of airbags. Here are some simple tips on vehicle handling during tyre blowout.
Drive At A Manageable Speed
This is more like a precautionary measure. Keeping within the highway speed limit will make you a good citizen and ensure passengers’ safety during dangerous blowouts. Surviving a blowout at 90-100 kmph is far more probable than at 130-140 kmph. The vehicle loses its form and balance during a blowout, and the higher the speed, the more difficult it will become to control the damage. Therefore, always move in a standard and prescribed speed limit.
Avoid Hard Braking
When the vehicle goes out of control, the initial response is to press the brake pedal as hard as possible. This is not wise because hard braking will disrupt the motion, and the vehicle will go further out of control. This is hard because we tend to go hard on brakes as soon as we encounter some emergency. Try to fight your urges and practice gradual and slow braking in a blowout situation. Brakes work on hydraulic principle, and hard braking puts Yokohama Tyres Redditch under enormous pressure, and they come to a sudden halt. This increases the chances of the vehicle tipping over.
Try To Maintain A Linear Path
When the tyres get flat at high speeds, the vehicle loses its motion stability and starts going sideways. The risk of the car slamming into a divider or crossing over to the opposite lane increases, which is a great safety hazard. Therefore, try to keep the car in one direction and a linear trajectory. Try to compensate for the unwarranted vehicle movement with the steering control. Do not take turns or sharp corners during a blowout, or else the vehicle will tip over. If the vehicle is going towards one end, move the steering in the opposite direction to maintain a linear path.
Do Not Deaccelerate Abruptly
When you encounter a probable blowout situation, do not take your foot off the accelerator abruptly. Instead, give some light acceleration because the affected Tyres Redditch will anyway take the speed off rapidly. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain a balance between the dynamics to avoid unnecessary rollovers.
Engage Safety Parking Protocol
Engage the brakes only when the speed has been considerably low. Turn the engines off in the meantime and switch on the hazard lights to alert other vehicles. Also, when the vehicle has slowed down, apply the brakes very lightly and pull your car to the side. No matter what happens, do not stop in the middle of the road because a car can slam you from behind and cause a huge accident. If it comes down to that, drive on bare wheels to move to a safer spot.
